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His grave is dii'ectly beneath the bust. 




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SHAKESPEAHE'S 
KING HENRY THE FIFTH 



EDITED WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES 
BY BRAINERD KELLOGG, LL.D., FORMERLY 
DEAN OF THE fACULTY AND PROFESSOR OF 
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
IN THE POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, BROOKLYN 




NEW YORK 
CHARLES E. MERRILL COMPANY 



This series of books includes in complete editions those master- 
pieces of English Literature that are best adapted for the use of 
schools and colleges. The editors of the several volumes are choser 
for their special qualifications in connection with the texts issuec 
under their individual supervision, but familiarity with the practical 
needs of the classroom, no less than sound scholarship, character- 
izes the editing of every book in the series. 

In connection with each text, a critical and historical introduc- 
tion, including a sketch of the life of the author and his relation 
to the thought of his time, critical opinions of the work in question 
chosen from the great body of English criticism, and, where possi- 
ble, a portrait of the author, are given. Ample explanatory notes 
of such passages in the text as call for special attention are sup- 
plied, but irrelevant annotation and explanations of the obvious 
are rigidly excluded. 

CHARLES E. MERRILL COMPANY 



COPTEIGHT, 1911 
BY 

CHARLES E. MERRILL COMPANY 



CCU280309 



1^ /3 ~ y-y^:^ 

^^^^^ 

PAGE 

General Notice 5 

Introduction 7 

Life and Works of Shakespeare 7 

The Play: lung Henry the Fifth 12 

Critical Opinions 15 

The King 15 

The Dauphin 17 

The Comedy Characters 17 

Shakespeare's Grammar and Versification 20 

Plan of Study 23 

King Henry the Fifth 27 

Notes 155 

Questions and Topics for Study 174 



EDITOR'S NOTE 



The text here presented has been carefully collated with that of 
six or seven of the best editions. Where there was any disagree- 
ment we have adopted the readings which seemed most reasonable 
and were supported by the best authority. 

Professor Meiklejohn's exhaustive notes form the substance of 
those here used ; and his plan, as set forth in the " General Notice " 
annexed, has been carried out in these volumes. But as these 
editions of the plays are intended rather for pupils in school and 
college than for ripe Shakespearian scholars, we have not hesi- 
tated to prune his notes of whatever was thought to be too 
learned for our purpose, or on other grounds was deemed irrele- 
vant to it. 



GENERAL NOTICE 



"An attempt has been made in these editions to interpret 
Shakespeare by the aid of Shakespeare himself. The Method of 
Comparison has been constantly employed ; and the language used 
by him in one place has been compared with the language used in 
other places in similar circumstances, as well as with older English 
and with newer EngUsh. 

"The first purpose in this elaborate annotation is, of course, 
the full working out of Shakespeare's meaning. The Editor has 
in all circumstances taken as much pains with this as if he had been 
making out the difficult and obscure terms of a will in which he 
himself was personally interested; and he submits that this thor- 
ough excavation of the meaning of a really profound thinker is 
one of the very best kinds of training that a boy or girl can receive 
at school. This is to read the very mind of Shakespeare, and to 
weave his thoughts into the fibre of one's own mental constitution. 
And always new rewards come to the careful reader — in the shape 
of new meanings, recognition of thoughts he had before missed, 
of relations between the characters that had hitherto escaped 
him. For reading Shakespeare is just hke examining Nature; 
there are no hollownesses, there is no scamped work, for Shake- 
speare is as patiently exact and as first-hand as Nature herself. 

" Besides this thorough working-out of Shakespeare's meaning, 
advantage has been taken of the opportunity to teach his English 
— to make each play an introduction to the English of Shake- 
speare. For this purpose copious collections of similar phrases 
have been gathered from other plays; his idioms have been dwelt 
upon; his peculiar use of words; his style and his rhythm. Some 
teachers may consider that too many instances are given; but, in 
teaching, as in everj^thing else, the old French saying is true: 

5 



6 GENERAL NOTICE 

Assez n'y a, s'il trop n'y a. The teacher need not require each 
pupil to give him all the instances collected. If each gives one or 
two, it will probably be enough; and, among them all, it is certain 
that one or two will stick in the memory, 

"It were much to be hoped that Shakespeare should become 
more and more of a study, and that every boy and girl should have 
a thorough knowledge of at least one play of Shakespeare before 
leaving school. It would be one of the best lessons in human life. 
It would also have the effect of bringing back into the too pale and 
formal EngHsh of modern times a large number of pithy and vigor- 
ous phrases which would help to develop as well as to reflect 
vigor in the characters of the readers. Shakespeare used the 
EngHsh language with more power than any other writer that ever 
lived — he made it do more and say more than it had ever done; 
he made it speak in a more original way; and his combinations of 
words are perpetual provocations and invitations to originality 
and to newness of insight." — J. M. D. Meiklejohn, M. A., Late 
Professor of Pedagogy in the University of St. Andrews. 



INTRODUCTION 

LIFE AND WORKS OF SHAKESPEARE 

"Shakespeare was born, it is thought, April 23, 1564, the son of 
a comfortable burgess of Stratford-on-Avon. While he was still 
young, his father fell into poverty, and an interrupted education 
left the son an inferior scholar. He had 'small Latin and less 
Greek.' But by dint of genius and by living in a society in which 
all sorts of information were attainable, he became an accomplished 
man. The story told of his deer-steahng in Charlecote woods is 
without proof, but it is likely that his youth was wild and passion- 
ate. At nineteen he married Ann Hathaway, seven years older 
than himself, and was probably unhappy with her. For this 
reason or from poverty, or from the driving of the genius that led 
him to the stage, he left Stratford about 1586-1587, and went to 
London at the age of twenty-two; and, falling in with Marlowe, 
Greene, and the rest, he became an actor and a playwright, and 
may have lived their unrestrained and riotous life for some years. 

" His First Period. — It is probable that before leaving Strat- 
ford he had sketched a part at least of his Venus and Adonis. It 
is full of the country sights and sounds, of the ways of birds and 
animals, such as he saw when wandering in Charlecote woods. Its 
rich and overladen poetry and its warm coloring made him, when 
it was published, in 1593, at once the favorite of men like Lord 
Southampton, and lifted him into fame. But before that date he 
had done work for the stage by touching up old plays and writing 
new ones. We seem to trace his ' prentice hand' in many dramas 
of the time, but the first he is usually thought to have retouched is 
Titus Andronicus, and, some time after, the First Part of Henry VI. 

*^ Love's Labour 's Lost, the first of his original plays, in which he 

7 



8 INTRODUCTION 

quizzed and excelled the Euphuists in wit, was followed by the 
rapid farce of The Comedy of Errors. Out of these frolics of intellect 
and action he passed into pure poetry in A Midsummer Night's 
Dream, and mingled into fantastic beauty the classic legend, the 
mediaeval fairyland, and the clownish Ufe of the EngHsh mechanic. 
Itahan story then laid its charm upon him, and Two Gentlemen of 
Verona preceded the southern glow of passion in Romeo and Juliet, 
in which he first reached tragic power. They complete, with 
Love's Labour 's Won, afterwards recast as All 's Well That Ends 
Well, the love plays of his early period. We may, perhaps, add 
to them the second act of an older play, Edward III. ' We should 
certainly read along with them, as belonging to the same passion- 
ate time, his Rape of Lucrece, a poem finally printed in 1594, one 
year later than the Venus and Adonis. 

" The patriotic feeling of England, also represented in Marlowe 
and Peele, now seized on him, and he turned from love to begin 
his great series of historical plaj^s with Richard II, 1593-1594. 
Richard III followed quickly. To introduce it and to complete 
the subject, he recast the Second and Third Parts of Henry VI 
(written by some unknown authors), and ended his first period 
with King John — five plays in a little more than two years, 

"His Second Period, 1596-1602. — In The Merchant of Venice 
Shakespeare reached entire mastery over his art. A mingled woof 
of tragic and comic threads is brought to its highest point of color 
when Portia and Shylock meet in court. Pure comedy followed in 
his retouch of the old Taming of the Shrew, and all the wit of the 
world, mixed with noble history, met next in the three comedies 
of Falstaff, the First and Second Parts of Henry IV, and the Merry 
Wives of Windsor. The historical plays were then closed with 
Henry V, a splendid dramatic song to the glory of England. 

" The Globe theater, in which he was one of the proprietors, was 
built in 1599. In the comedies he wrote for it, Shakespeare turned 
to write of love again, not to touch its deeper passion as before, 
but to play with it in all its lighter phases. The flashing dialogue 
of Much Ado About Nothing was followed by the far-off forest 
world of As You Like It, where 'the time fleets carelessly,' and 



LIFE AND WORKS OF SHAKESPEARE 9 

Rosalind's character is the play. Amid all its gracious lightness 
steals in a new element, and the melancholy of Jaques is the first 
touch we have of the older Shakespeare who had 'gained his 
experience, and whose experience had made him sad.' And yet 
it was but a touch; Twelfth Night shows no trace of it, though the 
play that followed, All 's Well That Ends Well, again strikes a 
sadder note. We find this sadness fully grown in the later sonnets, 
which are said to have been finished about 1602. They were pub- 
Kshed in 1609. 

"Shakespeare's life changed now, and his mind changed with 
it. He had grown wealthy during this period and famous, and was 
loved by society. He was the friend of the Earls of Southampton 
and Essex, and of Wilham Herbert, Lord Pembroke. The queen 
patronized him; all the best literary society was his own. He had 
rescued his father from poverty, bought the best house in Strat- 
ford and much land, and was a man of wealth and comfort. Sud- 
denly all liis life seems to have grown dark. His best friends fell 
into ruin, Essex perished on the scaffold, Southampton went to 
the Tower, Pembroke was banished from the Court; he may him- 
self, as some have thought, have been concerned in the rising of 
Essex. Added to this, we may conjecture, from the imaginative 
pageantry of the sonnets, that he had unwisely loved, and been 
betrayed in his love by a dear friend. Disgust of his profession 
as an actor, and public and private ill weighed heavily on him, 
and in darkness of spirit, though still clinging to the business of 
the theater, he passed from comedy to write of the sterner side of 
the world, to tell the tragedy of mankind. 

"His Third Period, 1602-1608, begins with the last days of 
Queen Elizabeth. It contains all the great tragedies, and opens 
with the fate of Hamlet, who felt, hke the poet himself, that ' the 
time was out of joint.' Hamlet, the dreamer, may well represent 
Shakespeare as he stood aside from the crash that overwhelmed 
his friends, and thought on the changing world. The tragi-comedy 
of Measure for Measure was next written, and is tragic in thought 
throughout. Julius Cossar, Othello, Macbeth, Lear, Troilus and 
Cressida (finished from an incomplete work of his youth), Antony 



10 INTRODUCTION 

and Cleopatra, Coriolanus, Timon (only in part his own), were all 
written in these five years. The darker sins of men, the unpitying 
fate which slowly gathers round and falls on men, the avenging 
wrath of conscience, the cruelty and punishment of weakness, the 
treachery, lust, jealousy, ingratitude, madness of men, the follies 
of the great, and the fickleness of the mob are all, with a thousand 
other varying moods and passions, painted, and felt as his own 
while he painted them, during this stern time. 

"His Fourth Period, 1608-1613. — As Shakespeare wrote of 
these things, he passed out of them, and his last days are full of 
the gentle and loving calm of one who has known sin and sorrow 
and fate but has risen above them into peaceful victory. Like his 
great contemporary. Bacon, he left the world and his o^\-n evil time 
behind him, and with the same quiet dignity sought the innocence 
and stillness of country hfe. The country breathes through all 
the dramas of this time. The flowers Perdita gathers in The 
Winter's Tale, and the frolic of the sheep-shearing he may have 
seen in the Stratford meadows; the song of Fidele in Cymbeline is 
written by one who already feared no more the frown of the great, 
nor slander nor censure rash, and was looking forward to the time 
when men should say of him — 

Quiet consummation have; 
And renowned be thy grave! 

"Shakespeare probably left London in 1609, and lived in the 
house he had bought at Stratford-on-Avon. He was reconciled, it 
is said, to his wife, and the plays he writes speak of domestic peace 
and forgiveness. The story of Marina, which he left unfinished, and 
which two later writers expanded into the play of Pericles, is the 
first of his closing series of dramas. The Two Noble Kinsmen of 
Fletcher, a great part of which is now, on doubtful grounds, I 
think, attributed to Shakespeare, and in which the poet sought 
the inspiration of Chaucer, would belong to this period. Cymbeline, 
The Winter's Tale, and The Tempest bring his history up to 1612, 
and in the next year he closed his poetic life by writing, with 
Fletcher, Henry VIII. For tliree years he kept silence, and then, 



LIFE AND WORKS OF SHAKESPEARE 11 

on the 23d of April, 1616, the day he reached the age of fifty-two, 
as is supposed, he died. 

" His Work. — We can only guess with regard to Shakespeare's 
life; we can only guess with regard to his character. We have 
tried to find out what he was from his sonnets and from his plays, 
but every attempt seems to be a failure. We cannot lay our hand 
on anything and say for certain that it was spoken by Shakespeare 
out of his own character. The most personal thing in all his writ- 
ings is one that has scarcely been noticed. It is the Epilogue to 
The Tempest; and if it be, as is most probable, the last thing he 
ever wrote, then its cry for forgiveness, its tale of inward sorrow, 
only to be relieved by prayer, give us some dim insight into how 
the silence of those three years was passed; w^hile its declaration 
of his aim in writing, 'which was to please, '^the true definition 
of an artist's aim, — should make us cautious in our efforts to de- 
fme his character from his works. Shakespeare made men and 
women whose dramatic action on each other, and towards a catas- 
trophe, was intended to please the public, not to reveal himself. 

" No commentary on his writings, no guesses about his life or 
character, are worth much which do not rest on this canon as their 
foundation: What he did, thought, learned, and felt, he did, 
thought, learned, and felt as an artist. . . . Fully influenced, as 
we see in Hamlet he was, by the graver and more philosophic cast 
of thought of the later time of Elizabeth; passing on into the reign 
of James I, when pedantry took the place of gayety, and sensual 
the place of imaginative love in the drama, and artificial art the 
place of that art which itself is nature ; he preserves to the last the^ 
natural passion, the simple tenderness, the sweetness, grace, and 
fire of the youthful Elizabethan poetry. The Winter's Tale is as 
lovely a love story as Romeo and Juliet; The Tempest is more 
instinct with imagination than A Midsummer Night's Dream, and 
as great in fancy; and yet there are fully twenty years between 
them. The only change is in the increase of power, and in a closer 
and graver grasp of human nature. Around him the whole tone 
and manner of the drama altered for the worse, but his work 
grew to the close in strength and beauty." — Stopford Brooke. 



THE PLAY: KING HENRY THE FIFTH 

Sources of the Plot. — In the Epilogue to King Henry IV, Part 
II, it is said, 'If you be not too much cloyed with fat meat, our 
humble author will continue the story, with Sir John in it, and 
make you merry with fair Katharine of France'; and in the play 
of King Henry the Fifth we have the fulfillment of the dramatist's 
promise. The stage was already in possession of a play entitled 
The Famous Victories of Henry the Fifth, but Shakespeare made 
no use of this in the composition of his play. He drew largely for 
the historical facts upon the Chronicles of Holinshed, a second 
edition of which had been issued in 1587. 

Date of Composition. — The date of the composition of King 
Henry the Fifth would seem to be 1599. It is not mentioned by 
Meres in his Palladis Tamia, 1598; but that it was written shortly 
afterward may be inferred from a passage of the Chorus before 
Act V, wliich evidently refers to Lord Essex, who was sent on an 
expedition to Ireland, April 15, 1599, and returned to London on 
the 28th of September in the same year. 

The Reign of King Henry V. — The reign of Henry V extended 
over a period of somewhat more than nine years and five months. 
It began on the 21st of March, 1413, and terminated with his 
death at Bois de Vincennes, in France, on the 31st of August, 
1422 — 

Small time, but in that small most greatly liv'd 
This star of England! 

Shakespeare felt how very inadequate a theatrical representation 
was to portray the great events and martial glories of Henry's 
reign; and both in the Prologue and in the concluding address of 
the Chorus he makes apologetic reference to the subject. Henry V 
was one of the most popular, as he was among the bravest, of 
EngUsh monarchs. As a conqueror he was stern and ambitious, 

12 



THE PLAY: KING HENRY THE FIFTH 13 

but not cruel, and won over his enemies by tact and clemency. 
The splendid victory at Agincourt embalmed his name and 
memory; and for generations after his death, his magnificent tomb 
in Westminster Abbey, surmounted by his bruised helmet and 
shield, was regarded with the honor and reverence paid to sainted 
reUcs. 

Construction of the Play. — Shakespeare begins his drama with 
the conferences relative to Henry's pretensions to the crown of 
France, and the operation of the SaUque law. The monarch's 
claim, as the representative of Isabella, wife of Edward II, was 
in reality inadmissible and absurd; but France was then in a 
wretched condition, burdened with an imbecile monarch and torn 
by factions, Henry was ambitious and warlike, and the English 
were ever ready for arms and conquest. Ambassadors from the 
Dauphin appeared, and fruitless negotiations were entered into, 
at the close of which Henry announced to his great council at 
Westminster, in April, 1415, that it was his firm purpose to make 
a voyage in his own proper person, 'by the grace of God, to re- 
cover his inheritance.' The poet touches upon the treasonable 
conspiracy of the Earl of Cambridge to place his brother-in-law, 
Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March, on the throne, in which Cam- 
bridge was joined by Lord Scroop and Sir Thomas Grey; but the 
plot failed, and the conspirators were condemned to the block. 
This abortive effort retarded but slightly the expedition against 
France, and Henry with his victorious soldiers was soon scaling 
the wall of Harfleur. The battle of Agincourt follows, preluded 
by a series of stirring incidents, and by speeches breathing martial 
ardor and undaunted courage; and the great victory is described 
with the utmost dramatic effect and with strong national feeling. 
The calm heroism and devotion of the English are contrasted with 
the levity and overweening confidence of the French; and as the 
latter were numerically as five to one, the English might be par- 
doned for some national vanity and exultation at the result. After 
this, we have a gap of between four and five years, bridged over 
by the narrative speech of the Chorus, and the play closes with 
the espousals of the triumphant English monarch and Katharine 



14 INTRODUCTION 

of Valois, which were solemnized at Troyes (in 1420) with un- 
wonted splendor. 

The Comedy of the Play. — The comic business of the drama, 
besides representing Henry as a lover, where he is seen to least 
advantage, and giving us the badinage of French nobles and Eng- 
Hsh soldiers, brings before us again the wild revelers of Eastcheap, 
Pistol and Bardolph, with Nym and Mrs. Quickly, the hostess, 
now married to Pistol. A new character, Fluellen, a brave, garru- 
lous, and pedantic Welshman, is introduced, and heightens greatly 
the humor of the scene. Falstaff, contrary to the poet's promise, 
has disappeared from the stage; the king had 'killed Ms heart'; 
but Mrs. Quickly's description of the dying scene is a marvelous 
sketch from nature — a photograph over which we may both 
laugh and cry, and which can never be forgotten. Strict moral, 
if not poetical, justice is dealt out to those marauding auxiliaries 
of the camp. Nym and Bardolph are hanged, and Pistol, after 
swaggering through the play as the most amusing of braggarts, 
is beaten by Fluellen, and made to 'eat his leek' as a 'counterfeit, 
cowardly knave.' By this time Mrs. Quickly was gone — she 
had died in the ' spital ' — and Pistol's rendezvous being quite cut 
off, he returns to England to — steal. 

And patches will I get unto these cudgell'd scars, 
And swear I got them in the Gallia wars. 

These scenes of low hfe and humor are, by the plastic powers 
of the poet, made to harmonize wonderfully with the martial and 
national character of the play, besides imparting to the shifting 
scenes an air of truth and nature. The grand object of the poet 
was to commemorate the battle of Agincourt. Schlegel has truly 
said, 'The sympathetic affinity by which Shakespeare came into 
most direct contact with his fellow-creatures was his patriotism.' 
But his comedy was no less thoroughly EngUsh, and was as highly 
appreciated. 



CRITICAL OPINIONS 

''The behaviour of the King, in the difficult and doubtful cir- 
cumstances in which he is placed, is as patient and modest as it 
is spirited and lofty in his prosperous fortune. The character of 
the French nobles is also very admirably depicted; and the 
Dauphin's praise of his horse shows the vanity of that class of 
persons in a very striking point of view. Shakespear always ac- 
companies a foolish prince with a satirical courtier, as we see in 
this instance. The comic parts of Henry V are very inferior to 
those of Henry IV. Falstaff is dead, and without him, Pistol, 
Nym, and Bardolph are satellites without a sun. Fluellen the 
Welshman is the most entertaining character in the piece. He 
is good-natured, brave, choleric, and pedantic. His parallel 
between Alexander and Harry of Monmouth, and his desire to 
have 'some disputations' with Captain Macmorris on the dis- 
cipline of the Roman wars, in the heat of battle, are never to be 
forgotten. His treatment of Pistol is as good as Pistol's treat- 
ment of his French prisoner. There are two other remarkable 
prose passages in this play: the conversation of Henry in disguise 
with the three sentinels on the duties of a soldier, and his court- 
ship of Katherine in broken French. We like them both exceed- 
ingly, though the first savours perhaps too much of the king and 
the last too little of the lover." — Hazlitt, Characters of Shake- 
spear's Plays. 

The King 

''The underlying theme of the whole series of historical plays, 
the greatness of England, here rises to the surface, and sweeps 
before it all minor motives. The king himself towers in the fore- 
front of the scene less as a gigantic personality like Richard III 
than as the embodiment of national strength and glory. He is 

15 



16 INTRODUCTION 

even more than the 'mirror of all Christian kings'; he is the personi- 
fied genius of his race. What Achilles is to the Greeks, Roland to 
the Franks, Arthur to the Celts, that Shakspere's Henry V is to 
the Anglo-Saxons. And, like these kindred heroes, he is typical 
of his folk in its hour of triumph over a dangerous foe. Thus the' 
three elements of interest in the drama are the King himself, the 
nation whom he leads to victory, and the rival nation whom they 
jointly overthrow. 

"Henry V is, in all essentials, Prince Hal grown to maturity 
and seated on a tlirone. The abandonment of the looser habits 
of his youth, which had been in progress during Henry IV, Part II, 
has now been completed. . . . But if Henry has shaken off his 
youthful follies, he has retained his faculty for adapting himself 
to all sorts and conditions of men. As in Eastcheap he had caught 
the very spirit of ale-house freemasonry, so in his altered sphere he 
excites the wonder of all hearers by discoursing upon divinity, war, 
and statecraft, as if each had been liis peculiar and Ufelong inter- 
est. . . . Henry's moral integrity deepens, after his coronation, 
into profound religious feeling, while his modesty takes the form 
of humble dependence upon God, whose name is henceforth con- 
stantly upon his lips. 

"It is disappointing to find that, in the final scene of the drama, 
Shakspere, by an unseasonable display of his comic power, lowers 
in some degree the dignity of his hero. . . . One does not expect 
Henry to indulge in the ardent protestations of a Romeo, to 
'look greenly nor gasp out his eloquence,' but there is a mean 
between amorous rhapsodies and the 'down-right oaths' of this 
very 'plain soldier' manner of wooing. Simplicity and sincerity 
are the basis of Henry's character, but these alone do not give 
his figure its massive proportions. For this there is something 
more needed — a grandeur and glow of soul which shine forth in 
him as king, warrior, and judge, but which fail him as a lover. 
In wooing Katharine, Henry is wooing France, which he loves so 
well that he will not part with a village of it, and in the midst of 
his somewhat highly flavoured banter, he keeps a vigilant eye on 
the articles of alliance. This mixture of jocoseness and shrewdness 



CRITICAL OPINIONS 17 

is scarcely the fitting final attitude of the hero of the great his- 
torical trilogy, the character whose development from youth to 
manhood Shakspere has traced with such loving care. But the 
dramatist in this closing scene is perhaps occupied less with per- 
sonal than with national considerations; and from the latter point 
of view there could be no more appropriate climax to the historical 
plays than this marriage treaty, whereby England, at unity with 
herself, is joined in 'incorporate league' to France, and the enemies 
of a hundred years are brought together." — Boas, Shakspere and 
His Predecessors. 

The Dauphin 

"In the heir to the French throne all the defects of the moribund 
mediaeval system of arms appear in intensified and contemptible 
form. The affection of the gallant rider for his gallant steed, 
which is a touching feature in genuine chivalry, is parodied by the 
high-flown passion of this carpet-knight for his horse, whom he 
styles his mistress, and in whose praise he indites a sonnet. With 
insolent levity he underrates liis foes : Henry is in his eyes ' a vain, 
giddy, shallow, humorous youth,' for whom tennis-balls are a 
fitting tribute, while his followers are as little to be feared as if 
they were merely busied with a Whitsun morris-dance. On the 
eve of the battle he chafes at the delay in his expected triumph: 
'Will it never be day? I will trot to-morrow a mile, and my way 
shall be paved with English faces.' Yet even the Dauphin may 
perhaps rank above his admirer, the Duke of Orleans, who extols 
him 'as simply the most active gentleman of France,' and who 
in virtue of a superficial smartness in repartee despises the fat- 
brained followers of the Enghsh king." — Boas, Shakspere and His 
\ Predecessors. 

\ The Comedy Characters 

^ "Intermingled with the stately battle scenes are humorous 

\ ei.:)isodes, falling, however, very far short of the brilliant comedy 

of Henry IV. The insipid dialogue between Pistol and his prisoner, 



18 INTRODUCTION 

of which the sole object seems to be the ridicule of French pro- 
nunciation, is perhaps the feeblest which the dramatist ever penned. 
More interesting are the scenes which develop the character of 
Fluellen and increasingly reveal the good sense and good heart 
which underlie the Welshnian's uncouth forms of speech. The 
comparison between Alexander the Great and Henry is ludicrous, 
on the score that there is a river in Macedon and a river at Mon- 
mouth, and there are salmons in both; but there is wonderful 
shrewdness in the observation that ' as Alexander killed his friend 
Cleitus, being in his ales and his cups; so also Henry Monmouth, 
being in his right wits and his good judgements, turned away the 
fat knight with the great belly-doublet.' The sturdy Welshman 
is irresistibly attracted by the integrity of the King, whom he 
claims to be of his own blood." — Boas, Shakspere and His 
Predecessors. 

''His [Falstaff' s] wake draws after it a number of disreputable 
or silly fellows, whom his audacious humor alone prevails upon 
the tragedy to tolerate. . . . There is Bardolph w^ho ... is the 
red mark for Falstaff's raillery, but liquor and lodgings keep hiux 
companionable, so that, when at last 'the fuel is gone that main- 
tained that fire,' he has a tear or two, not yet evaporated, to help 
the obsequies of his master. There is Pistol, a great haunter of 
play-houses, where he has picked up phrases of bombast, such as 
swarmed in the bad tragedies of the period; when the sack has 
reached his head it sets them all afloat, to ruffle the company. . . . 
There is Mistress Quickly who caters for Falstaff's vices, endures 
his swindling till almost all her goods have gone to the pawn 
broker's, and then admires to be cajoled back into more lending, 
dismisses the suit which she brought with such strenuous and 
voluble feebleness, and hopes he will come to supper. . . . Cor- 
poral Nym will cut a purse and drain a can without winking, as 
the rest will; but he admires to have a pretence of soldierly blunt- 
ness, as when he says, 'I dare not fight; but I will wink, ancj 
hold out mine iron.' He is a man of few words, and has somethirjii_ 
of CromweU's enigmatic way of speaking to cover liis delibert 



CRITICAL OPINIONS 19 

intention of doing nothing to end his days. 'I cannot tell; things 
must be as they may. There must be conclusions. Well, I can- 
not tell, . . . and that's the humor of it.' A silent man, but not 
of the fighting type which helped Queen Elizabeth's adventurers 
to sack the towns of the Spanish main and defray the expense of 
her countenance. — Weiss, Wit, Humor, and Shakspeare. 



SHAKESPEARE'S GRAMMAR AND VERSIFICATION 



Shakespeare lived at a time when the grammar and vocabu- 
lary of the English language were in a state of transition. Various 
points were not yet settled; and so Shakespeare's grammar is not 
only somewhat different from our o'wti but is by no means uni- 
form in itself. In the Elizabethan age, " almost any part of speech 
can be used as any other part of speech. An adverb can be used 
as a verb, 'They askance their eyes'; as a noun, 'the backward and 
abysm of time '; or as an adjective, ' a seldom pleasure.' Any noun, 
adjective, or intransitive verb can be used as a transitive verb. 
You can 'happy' your friend, 'malice' or 'foot' your enemy, or 
'fall' an axe on his neck. An adjective can be used as an adverb; 
and you can speak and act 'easy/ 'free,' 'excellent'; or as a noun, 
and you can talk of 'fair' instead of 'beauty,' and 'a pale' instead 
of 'a paleness.' Even the pronouns are not exempt from these 
metamorphoses. A ' he ' is used for a man, and a lady is described 
by a gentleman as 'the fairest she he has yet beheld.' In the 
second place, every variety of apparent grammatical inaccuracy 
meets us. He for him, him for he; spoke and took for spoken and 
taken; plural nominatives with singular verbs; relatives omitted 
where they are now considered necessary; unnecessary antece- 
dents inserted; shall for will, should for would, would for wish; to 
omitted after 7 ought, inserted after 7 durst; double negatives; 
double comparatives ('more better,' etc.) and superlatives; such 
followed by which, that by as, as used for as if; that for so that; and 
lastly some verbs apparently with two nominatives, and others 
without any nominative at all." — Dr. Abbott's Shakespearian 
Grammar. 

Shakespeare's plays are written mainly in what is known sa 
blank verse; but they contain a number of riming lines, and a cr" 

20 



GRAMMAR AND VERSIFICATION 21 

siderable number of prose lines. As a rule, rime is much commoner 
in the eariier than in the later plays. Thus, Love's Labour 's Lost 
contains nearly 1100 riming lines, while (if we except the songs) A 
Winter's Tale has none. The Merchant of Venice has 124. 

In speaking, we lay a stress on particular syllables; this stress is 
called accent. When the words of a composition are so arranged 
that the accent recurs at regular intervals, the composition is said 
to be rhythmical. In blank verse the lines have usually ten syllables, 
of which the second, fourth, sixth, eighth, and tenth are accented. 
The hne consists, therefore, of five parts, each of which contains 
an unaccented syllable, followed by an accented one, as in the 
word attend. Each of these five parts forms what is called a 
foot or measure; and the five together form a pentameter. Pentam- 
eter is a Greek word signifying "five measures." This is the 
usual form of a hne of blank verse. But a long poem composed 
entirely of such lines would be monotonous, and for the sake of 
variety several important modifications have been introduced. 

(a) After the tenth syllable, one or two unaccented syllables 
are sometimes added; as — 

"Me-thought|you said | you neilther lend [nor borjrow." 

(6) In any foot the accent may be shifted from the second to the 
first syllable, provided two accented syllables do not come to- 
gether; as — 

"Pluck' the I young suck'|ing cubs' |from the' I she bear' ." 

(c) In such words as yesterday, voluntary, honesty, the syllables 
-day, -ta-, and -ty falling in the place of the accent are, for the pur- 
poses of the verse, regarded as truly accented; as — 

"Bars' me I the right' [of voI'-Iiui-ta'|ry choos'|ing." 

{d) Sometimes we have a succession of accented syllables; this 
occurs with monosyllabic feet only; as — 

"Why, now, blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark." 



22 INTRODUCTION 

(e) Sometimes, but more rarely, two or even three unaccented 
syllables occupy the place of one; as — 

"He sayslhe does,|6e-'ingr then[most flatlter-ed." 

(/) Lines may have any number of feet from one to six. 

Finally, Shakespeare adds much to the pleasing variety of his 
blank verse by placing the pauses in different parts of the line 
(especially after the second or third foot), instead of placing them 
all at the end of Unes, as was the earlier custom. 

In some cases the rhythm requires that what we usually pro- 
nounce as one syllable shall be divided into two, as fi-er (fire), 
su-er (sure), mi-el (mile), etc.; too-elve (twelve), jaw-ee (joy). 
Similarly, she-on (-tion or -sion). 

It is very important that the student should have plenty of 
ear-training by means of formal scansion. This will greatly 
assist him in his reading. 



PLAN OF STUDY 

To attain the standard of "Perfect Possession," the reader 
ought to have an intimate and ready knowledge of the subject. 

The student ought, first of all, to read the play as a pleasure; 
then to read it again, with his mind on the characters and the 
plot; and lastly, to read it for the meanings, grammar, etc. 

With the help of the following outline, he can easily draw up 
for himself short examination papers (1) on each scene, (2) on 
each act, (3) on the whole play. 

1. The plot and story of the play. 

(a) The general plot. 
(6) The special incidents. 

2. The characters. 

Ability to give a connected account of all that is done, and 
most that is said by each character in the play. 

3. The influence and interplay of the characters upon one 

another. 

(a) Relation of A to B and of B to A. 

(6) Relation of A to C and D. 

4. Complete possession of the language. 

(a) Meanings of words. 

(6) Use of old words, or of words in an old meaning. 

(c) Grammar. 

(cO Ability to quote lines to illustrate a grammatical point. 

5. Power to reproduce, or quote. 

(a) What was said by A or B on a particular occasion. 
(6) What was said by A in reply to B. 

(c) What argument was used by C at a particular juncture. 

(d) To quote a hne in instance of an idiom or of a peculiar 

meaning. 

23 



24 INTRODUCTION 

6. Power to locate. 

(a) To attribute a line or statement to a certain person 

on a certain occasion. 
(6) To cap a line, 
(c) To fill in the right word or epithet. 



KING HENRY THE FIFTH 



UW 



DRAMATIS PERSONiE 



King Henry the Fifth. 
Duke of Gloucester, 



^ T. , brothers to the King. 

Duke of Bedford, J 

Duke of Exeter, uncle to the King. -> 

Duke of York, cousin to the King. 

Earls of Salisbury, Westmoreland, and Warwick. 

Archbishop of Canterbury. 

Bishop of Ely. 

Earl of Cambridge. 

Lord Scroop. 

Sir Thomas Grey. 

Sir Thomas Erpingham, Gower, Fluellen, Macmorris, Jamy, 

officers in King Henry's army. 
Bates, Court, Williams, soldiers in the same. 
Pistol, Nym, Bardolph. 
Boy. 

A Herald. 

Charles the Sixth, King of France. 
Lewis, the Dawphin. 

Dukes of Burgundy, Orleans, and Bourbon. 
The Constable of France. 
Rambures and Grandpr:^, French lords. 
Governor of Harfleur. 
MoNTJOY, a French Herald. 
Ambassadors to the King of England. 
Isabel, Queen of France. 
Katharine, daughter to Charles and Isabel. 
Alice, a lady attending on her. 
Hostess of a tavern in Eastcheap (formerly Mistress Quickly, and 

now married to Pistol). 
Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, and Attendants, 
Chorus. 

SCENE — England; afterwards France. 
26 



-KING HENRY THE FIFTH 



PROLOGUE 

Enter Chorus 

Chorus. O, for a Muse of fire, that would ascend 
The brightest heaven of invention, 
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, 
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene! 
/Then should the warlike Harry, like himself, 
^Assume the port of Mars; and, at his heels, 
Leash' d in like hounds, should famine, sword, and 

fire 
Crouch for employment. But pardon, gentles all, 
The flat unraised spirits that have dared 
On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth lo 

So great an object. Can this cockpit hold 
The vasty fields of France? or may we cram 
Within this wooden O the very casques 
That did affright the air at Agincourt? 
O, pardon! since a crooked figure may 
Attest j in little place, a million; 
And let us, ciphers to this great accompt, 
On your imaginary forces work. 
Suppose within the girdle of these walls 
Are now confin'd two mighty monarchies, 20 

27 



28 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act I 

Whose high upreared and abutting fronts 

The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder. 

Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts; 

Into a thousand parts divide one man, 

And make imaginary puissance : ' 

Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them 

Printing their proud hoofs i' the receiving earth; 

For 't is your thoughts that now must deck our 

kings, 
Carry them here and there, jumping o'er times. 
Turning th' accomplishment of many years 30 

Into an hour-glass: for the which supply, 
Admit me Chorus to this history; 
Who, prologue-like, your humble patience pray. 
Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play. [Exit 



ACT I 

Scene I 
London. An antechamber in the King's palace 

Enter the Archbishop of Canterbury and 

THE Bishop of Ely 
Cant My lord, I '11 tell you: that self bill is urg'd 
Which in th' eleventh year of the last king's reign 
Was like, and had indeed against us pass'd, 
But that the scambling and unquiet time 
Did push it out of farther question. 



Scene I] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 29 

Ely. But how, my lord, shall we resist it now? 

Cant. It must be thought on. If it pass against 
us, 
We lose the better half of our possession; 
For all the temporal lands, which men devout 
By testament have given to the church, lo 

Would they strip from u§; being valued thus: 
As much as would maintain, to the king's honour, 
Full fifteen earls and fifteen hundred knights. 
Six thousand and two hundred good esquires; * 

And, to relief of lazars and weak age. 
Of indigent faint souls past corporal toil, 
A hundred almshouses right well supplied; 
And to the coffers of the king beside, 
A thousand pounds by th' year : thus runs the bill. 

Ely. This would drink deep. 

Cant. 'T would drink the cup and all 20 

Ely. But what prevention? 

Cant. The king is full of grace and fair regard. 

Ely. And a true lover of the holy church 

Cant. The courses of his youth promised it not. 
The breath no sooner left his father's body 
But that his wildness, mortified in him, 
Seem'd to die too: yea, at that very moment, 
Consideration, like an angel, came 
And whipp'd the offending Adam out of him, 
Leaving his body as a paradise 30 

T' envelop and contain celestial spirits. 
Never was such a sudden scholar made; 
Never came reformation in a flood, 



30 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act I 

With such a heady currance, scouring faults; 
Nor never Hydra-headed wilfuhiess 
So soon did lose his seat, and all at once, 
As in this king. 

Ely. We are blessed in the change. 

Ca7it. Hear him but reason in divinity, 
And, all-admiring, with an inward wish 
You would desire the king were made a prelate: 4o 

Hear him debate of commonwealth affairs, 
You would say it hath been all in all his study: 
List his discourse of war, and you shall hear 
A fearful battle rendered you in music: 
Turn him to any cause of policy. 
The Gordian knot of it he will unloose, 
Familiar as his garter: that, when he speaks, 
The air, a chartered libertine, is still. 
And the mute wonder lurketh in men's ears, 
To steal his sweet and honey' d sentences; so 

So that the art and practic part of life 
Must be the mistress to this theoric: 
Which is a^ wonder ^how his grace should glean it, 
Since his a'ddiction was to courses vain; 
His companies unletter'd, rude, and shallow; 
His hours fill'd up with riots, banquets, sports; 
And never noted in him any study. 
Any retirement, any sequestration 
From open haunts and popularity. 

Ehj. The strawberry grows underneath the nettle, 6o 
And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best 
Neighbour' d by fruit of baser quality: 



St^^f^ H'TS 



K^ Ob KJ O W I o i\^ '^ ^ 

Scene I] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 31 

And so the prince obscur'd his contemplation 
Under the veil of wildness; which, no doubt, 
Grew like the summer grass, fastest by night. 
Unseen, yet crescive in his faculty. 

Cant. It must be so; for miracles are ceas'd; 
And therefore we must needs admit the means 
How things are perfected. 

Ely. But, my good lord, 

How now for mitigation of this bill 70 

Urg'd by the commons? Doth his majesty 
Incline to it, or no? 

Cant. He seems indifferent. 

Or, rather, swaying more upon our part^. 
Than cherishing the exhibiteirs against us: 
For I have made an offer to his majesty — 
Upon our spiritual convocation. 
And in regard of causes now in hand. 
Which I have open'd to his grace at large. 
As touching France — to give a greater sum 
Than ever at one time the clergy yet so 

Did to his predecessors part withal. 

Ely. How did this offer seem receiv'd, my lord? 

Cant. With good acceptance of his majesty; 
Save that there was not time enough to hear. 
As I perceiv'd his grace would fain have done. 
The severals and unhidden passages 
Of his true titles to some certain dukedoms. 
And, generally, to the crown and seat of France, 
Deriv'd from Edward, his great-grandfather. 

Ely. What was th' impediment that broke this off? oo 



32 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act I 

Cant. The French ambassador upon that instant 
Crav'd audience, and the hour, I think, is come 
To give him hearing: is it four o'clock? 

Ely. It is. 

Cant. Then go we in, to know his embassy; 
Which I could, with a ready guess, declare 
Before the Frenchman speak a word of it. 

Ely. I '11 wait upon you, and I long to hear it. 

[Exeunt 

Scene II 

The same. The presence chamber 

Enter King Henry, Gloucester, Bedford, Exeter, 
Warwick, Westmoreland, and Attendants 

K. Hen. Where is my gracious Lord of Can- 
terbury? 
Exe. Not here in presence. 

K. Hen. Send for him, good uncle. 

West. Shall we call in th' ambassador, my liege? 
K. Hen. Not yet, my cousin; we would be re- 
solv'd, 
Before we hear him, of some things of weight 
That task our thoughts, concerning us and France. 

Enter the Archbishop of Canterbury and 
THE Bishop of Ely 

Cant. God and his angels guard your sacred 
throne. 
And make you long become it! 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 33 

K. Hen. Sure, we thank you. 

My learned lord, we pray you to proceed, 
And justly and religiously unfold lo 

Why the law Salique that they have in France 
Or should, or should not, bar us in our claim. 
And God forbid, my dear and faithful lord. 
That you should fashion, wrest, or bow your read- 
ing, 
Or nicely charge your understanding soul 
With opening titles miscreate, whose right 
Suits not in native colours with the truth ; 
For God doth know how many now in health 
Shall drop their blood in approbation 
Of what your reverence shall incite us to. 20 

/Therefore take heed how you impawn our person, 
How you awake our sleeping sword of war; 
W^e charge you, in the name of God, take heed: 
For never two such kingdoms did contend 
Without much fall of blood; whose guiltless drops 
Are every one a woe, a sore complaint 
'Gainst him whose wrongs give edge unto the swords 
That make such waste in brief mortality. 
Under this conjuration speak, my lord: 
For we will hear, note, and believe in heart 30 

That what you speak is in your conscience wash'd 
As pure as sin with baptism. 

Cant. Then hear me, gracious sovereign, and you 
peers. 
That owe yourselves, your lives, and services 
To this imperial throne. There is no bar 



34 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act I 

To make against your highness' claim to France 

But this, which they produce from Pharamond — 

In terrain Salicam mulieres ne siiccedant, 

' No woman shall succeed in Salique land ' : 

Which Salique land the French unjustly gloze 40 

To be the realm of France, and Pharamond 

The founder of this law and female bar. 

Yet their own authors faithfully affirm 

That the land Salique is in Germany, 

Between the floods of Sala and of Elbe: 

Where Charles the Great, having subdued the 

Saxons, 
There left behind and settled certain French; 
Who, holding in disdain the German women 
For some dishonest manners of their life, 
Establish'd then this law; to wit, no female 50 

Should be inheritrix in Salique land; 
Which Salique, as I said, 'twixt Elbe and Sala, 
Is at this day in Germany call'd Meisen. 
Then doth it well appear, the Salique law 
Was not devised for the realm of France; 
Nor did the French possess the Salique land 
Until four hundred one and twenty years 
After defunction of King Pharamond, 
Idly suppos'd the founder of this law; 
Who died within the year of our redemption eo 

Four hundred twenty-six; and Charles the Great 
Subdued the Saxons, and did seat the French 
Beyond the river Sala, in the year 
Eight hundred five. Besides, their writers say. 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 35 

King Pepin, which deposed Childeric, 
Did, as heir general, being descended 
Of Bhthild, which was daughter to King Clothair, 
Make claim and title to the crown of France. 
Hugh Capet also — who usurp' d the crown 
Of Charles the Duke of Lorraine, sole heir male 70 

Of the true line and stock of Charles the Great — 
To find his title with some shows of truth, 
(Though, in pure truth, it was corrupt and naught), 
^^'''^' Convey' d himself as heir to the Lady Lingare, 
Daughter to Charlemain, who was the son 
To Lewis the Emperor, and Lewis the son 
Of Charles the Great. Also King Lewis the Tenth, 
Who was sole heir to the usurper Capet, 
Could not keep quiet in his conscience. 
Wearing the crown of France, till satisfied so 

That fair Queen Isabel, his grandmother, 
Was lineal of the Lady Ermengare, 
Daughter to Charles the foresaid Duke of Lorraine: 
By the which marriage, the line of Charles the 

Great 
Was re-united to the crown of France. 
So that, as clear as is the summer's sun, 
King Pepin's title, and Hugh Capet's claim. 
King Lewis his satisfaction, — all appear 
To hold in right and title of the female: 
So do the kings of France unto this day. 90 

Howbeit they would hold up this Salique law 
To bar your highness claiming from the female, 
And rather choose to hide them in a net 



K 



36 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act I 

Than amply to imbar their crooked titles 
Usurp'd from you and your progenitors. 

K. Hen. May I with right and conscience make 
this claim? 

Cant. The sin upon my head, dread sovereign! 
For in the book of Numbers is it writ, — 
' When the man dies, let the inheritance 
Descend unto the daughter.' Gracious lord, loo ^ 

Stand for your own; unwind your bloody flag; 
Look back into your mighty ancestors : 
Go, my dread lord, to your great-grandsire's tomb. 
From whom you claim; invoke his warlike spirit. 
And your great-uncle's, Edward the Black Prince; 
Who on the French ground play'd a tragedy, 
Making defeat on the full power of France, 
Whiles his most mighty father on a hill 
Stood smiling to behold his lion's whelp 
Forage in blood of French nobility. no 

O noble English, that could entertain 
With half their forces the full pride of France, 
And let another half stand laughing by. 
All out of work and cold for action! 

Ely. Awake remembrance of these valiant dead, 
And with your puissant arm renew their feats: 
You are their heir, you sit upon their throne; 
The blood and courage that reno^Aiied them 
Runs in your veins; and my thrice-puissant liege 
Is in the very May-morn of his youth, ■ 120 

Ripe for exploits and mighty enterprises. 

Exe. Your brother kings and monarchs of the earth 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 37 

Do all expect that you should rouse yourself, 
As did the former lions of your blood. 

West. They know your grace hath cause and 
means and might: 
So hath your highness; never king of England 
Had nobles richer and more loyal subjects, 
Whose hearts have left their bodies here in England, 
And lie pavilion' d in the fields of France. 

Cant. O, let their bodies follow, my dear liege, 130 

With blood and sword and fire to win your right: 
In aid whereof, we of the spirituality 
Will raise your highness such a mighty sum 
As never did the clergy at one time 
Bring in to any of your ancestors. 

K. Hen. We must not only arm to invade the 
French 
But lay down our proportions to defend 
Against the Scot, who will make road upon us 
With all advantages. 

Ca7it. They of those marches, gracious sovereign, uo 
Shall be a wall sufficient to defend 
Our inland from the pilfering borderers. 

K. Hen. We do not mean the coursing snatchers 
only, 
But fear the main intendment of the Scot, 
Who hath been still a giddy neighbour to us; 
For you shall read that my great-grandfather 
Never went with his forces into France 
But that the Scot on his unfurnished kingdom 
Came pouring, like the tide into a breach, 



38 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act I 

With ample and brim fulness of his force, i5o 

Galling the gleaned land with hot assays, 

Girding with grievous siege castles and towns; 

That England, being empty of defence. 

Hath shook and trembled at the ill neighbourhood. 

Cant. She hath been then more fear'd than harm'd, 
my Hege: ^^'V^,*^ 

For hear her but exampled by herself: 
When all her chivalry hath been in France, 
And she a mourning widow of her nobles, 
She hath herself not only well defended 
But taken and impounded as a stray lee 

The king of Scots; w^hom she did send to France, 
To fill King Edward's fame with prisoner kings, 
And make her chronicle as rich with praise 
As is the ooze and bottom of the sea 
With sunken wreck and sumless treasuries. 

West. But there 's a saying, very old and true, — 

If that you will France win, 
Then with Scotland first begin; 

For once the eagle England being in prey. 

To her unguarded nest the weasel Scot i7u 

Comes sneaking, and so sucks her princely eggs, 

Playing the mouse in absence of the cat, 

To tear and havoc more than she can eat. 

Exe. It follows, then, the cat must stay at home: 
Yet that is but a crush' d necessity, ^ 
Since we have locks to safeguard necessaries. 
And pretty traps to catch the petty thieves. 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 39 

While that the armed hand both fight abroad, 

Th' advised head defends itself at home: 

For government, though high and low and lower, iso 

Put into parts, doth keep in one consent; 

Congreeing in a full and natural close. 

Like music. 

Cant. Therefore doth heaven divide 

The state of man in divers functions, 
Setting endeavour in continual motion; 
To which is fixed, as an aim or butt. 
Obedience: for so work the honej^-bees. 
Creatures that by a rule in nature teach 
The act of order to a peopled kingdom. 
They have a king and officers of sorts : i9o 

Where some, like magistrates, correct at home, 
Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad, 
Others, like soldiers, armed in their stings, 
Make felbot upon the summer's velvet buds, 
Which pillage they with merry march bring home 
To the tent-royal of their emperor: 
Who, busied in his majesty, surveys 
The singing masons building roofs of gold. 
The civil citizens kneading up the honey, 
The poor mechanic porters crowding in 200 

Their heavy burdens at his narrow gate, 
The sad-ey'd justice, with his surly hum, 
Delivering o'er to executors pale 
The lazy yawning drone. I this infer, — 
That many things, having full reference 
To one consent, may work contrariously: 



40 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act I 

As many arrows, loosed several ways, 

Come to one mark; as many ways meet in one 

town; 
As many fresh streams meet in one salt sea; 
As many lines close in the dial's centre; 210 

So may a thousand actions, once afoot. 
End in one purpose, and be all well borne 
Without defeat. Therefore to France, my liege. 
Divide your happy England into four; 
Whereof take you one quarter into France, 
And you withal shall make all Gallia shake. 
If we, with thrice such powers left at home, 
Cannot defend our own doors from the dog, 
Let us be worried, and our nation lose 
The name of hardiness and policy. 220 

K. Hen. Call in the messengers sent from the 

Dauphin. [Exeunt some Attendants 

Now are we well resolv'd; and, by God's help. 
And yours, the noble sinews of our power, 
France being ours, we '11 bend it to our awe. 
Or break it all to pieces. Or there we '11 sit. 
Ruling in large and ample empery 
O'er France and all her almost kingly dukedoms, 
Or lay these bones in an unworthy urn, 
Tombless, with no remembrance over them: 
Either our history shall with full mouth 230 

Speak freely of our acts, or else our grave. 
Like Turkish mute, shall have a tongueless mouth. 
Not worshipped with a waxen epitaph. — 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 41 

Enter Ambassadors of France 

Now are we well prepar'd to know the pleasure 
Of our fair cousin Dauphin; for we hear 
Your greeting is from him, not from the king. 

Ainh. May 't please your majesty to give us 
leave 
Freely to render what we have in charge; 
Or shall we sparingly show you far off 
The Dauphin's meaning and our embassy? 240 

K. Hen. We are no tyrant, but a Christian king; 
Unto whose grace our passion is as subject 
As are our wretches fetter'd in our prisons: 
Therefore with frank and with uncurbed plainness 
Tell us the Dauphin's mind. 

Amh. Thus, then, in few: 

Your highness, lately sending into France, 
Did claim some certain dukedoms, in the right 
Of your great predecessor, King Edward the Third. 
In answer of which claim, the prince our master 
Says that you savour too much of your youth, 250 

And bids you be advis'd there 's naught in France 
That can be with a nimble galliard won: 
You cannot revel into dukedoms there. 
He therefore sends you, meeter for your spirit, 
This tun of treasure; and, in lieu of this. 
Desires you let the dukedoms that you claim 
Hear no more of you. This the Dauphin speaks. 

K. Hen. What treasure, uncle? 

Exe. Tennis-balls, my liege. 



42 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act I 

K. Hen. We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant 

with us; 
His present and your pains we thank you for: 
When we have match'd our rackets to these balls, 
We will in France, by God's grace, play a set 
Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard. 
Tell him he hath made a match with such a wrangler 
That all the courts of France will be disturb'd 
With chaces. And we understand him well, 
How he comes o'er us with our wilder days, 
Not measuring what use we made of them. 
We never valued this poor seat of England; 
And therefore, living hence, did give ourself 
To barbarous license; as 't is ever common 
That men are merriest when they are from home.- . 
But tell the Dauphin I will keep my state, JlX^^^ 
Be like a king, and show my sail of greatness, 
When I do rouse me in my throne of France: 
For that I have laid by m}^ majesty. 
And plodded like a man for working-daj'-s; 
But I will rise there with so full a glory 
That I will dazzle all the ej^es of France, 
Yea, strike the Dauphin blind to look on us. 
And tell the pleasant prince, this mock of his 
IJ^th_tu rn'd his balls to gun-stonesj. and his soul 
Shall stand sore charged for the wasteful vengeance 
That shall fly with them: for many a thousand 

widows 
Shall this his mock mock out of their dear husband^; 
Mock mothers from their sons, mock castles down : 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 43 

And some are yet ungotten and unborn 

That shall have cause to curse the Dauphin's scorn. 

But this lies all within the will of God, 

To whom I do appeal; and in whose name ^2903 

Tell you the Dauphin I am coming on, 

To venge me as I may and to put forth 

My rightful hand in a well-hallow'd cause. 

So get you hence in peace; and tell the Dauphin 

His jest will savour but of shallow wit, 

When thousands weep more than did laugh at it. — 

Convey them with safe-conduct. — Fare you well. 

[Exeunt Ambassadors 

Exe. This was a merry message. 

K. Hen. We hope to make the sender blush at it. 
Therefore, my lords, omit no happy hour /^3oo) 

That may give furtherance to our expedition: ^^'^^'^ 

For we have now no thought in us but France, 
Save those to God, that run before our business. 
Therefore let our proportions for these wars 
Be soon collected, and all things thought upon 
That may with reasonable swiftness add 
More feathers to our wings; for, God before, 
We '11 chide this Dauphin at his father's door. 
Therefore let every man now task his thought. 
That this f^^otion may on foot be brought. ^310) 

"^^^^ [Exeunt 




ACT II 

Prologue 

Flourish. Enter Chorus 

Chor. Now all the youth of England are on fire, 
And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies; 
Now thrive the armourers, and honour's thought 
Reigns solely in the breast of every man. 
They sell the pasture now to buy the horse; 
Following the mirror of all Christian kings. 
With winged heels, as English Mercuries. 
For now sits Expectation in the air. 
And hides a sword, from hilts unto the point, 
With crowns imperial,' crowns and coronets, lo 

Promis'd to Harry and his followers. 
The French, advis'd by good intelligence 
Of this most dreadful preparation. 
Shake in their fear, and with pale policy 
Seek to divert the English purposes. 
England! model to thy inward greatness, 
Like little body with a mighty heart : 
What mightst thou do, that honour wouki thee do. 
Were all thy children kind and natui^ * 
But see thy fault! France hath in thee found out 20 

A nest of hollow bosoms, which he fills 
With treacherous crowns; and three corrupted men — 

44 



Scene I] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 45 

One, Richard Earl of Cambridge; and the second, 

Henry Lord Scroop of Masham; and the third, 

Sir Thomas Grey, knight, of Northumberland — 

Have, for the gilt of France (O guilt indeed!) 

Confirm'd conspiracy with fearful France; 

And by their hands this grace of kings must die. 

If hell and treason hold their promises. 

Ere he take ship for France, and in Southampton. so 

Linger your patience on, and we '11 digest 

Th' abuse of distance; force a play. 

The sum is paid; the traitors are agreed; 

The king is set from London; and the scene 

Is now transported, gentles, to Southampton: 

There is the playhouse now, there must you sit : 

And thence to France shall we convey you safe. 

And bring you back, charming the narrow seas 

To give you gentle pass; for, if we may. 

We '11 not offend one stomach with our play. 4o 

But, till the king come forth, and not till then, 

Unto Southampton do we shift our scen^. [Exit 

London. A street 



AdC^ 



Enter Corporal Nym and Lieutenant Bardolph ^ 
„^— *. — % -—-^ 

Bard. Well met. Corporal Nym. 

Nym. Goid morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph. 

Bard. What, are Ancient Pistol and you friends 

yet? 

Nym. For my part, I care not: I say little; but, 




46 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act II 

when time shall serve, there shall be smiles; but that 
shall be as it may. I dare not fight; but I will wink, 
and hold out mine iron. It is a simple one; but 
what though? it will toast cheese, and it will endure 
cold as another man's sword will: and there 's an end. lo 

Bard. I will bestow a breakfast to make you 
friends; and we '11 be all three sworn brothers to 
France; let it be so, good Corporal Nym. 

Nym. Faith, I will live so long as I may, that 's 
the certain of it; and when I cannot live any longer, 
I will do as I may: that is my rest, that is the 
rendezvous of it. 

Bard. It is certain, corporal, that he is married 
to Nell Quickly: and certainly she did you wrong; 
for you were troth-plight to her. 20 

Nym. I cannot tell; things must be as they 
may: men may sleep, and they may have their 
throats about them at that time; and some say 
knives have edges. It must be as it may: though 
patience be a tired mare, yet she will plod. There 
must be conclusions. Well, I cannot tell. 

Enter Pistol and Hostess 
Bard. Here comes Ancient Pistol and his wife: 

— good corporal, be patient here. How now, mine 

host Pistol! 
Pist. Base tike, call'st thou me host? 30 

Now, by this hand, I swear I scorn the term; 

Nor shall my Nell keep lodgers. 

Host. No, by my troth, not long. [Nym draws his 



Scene I] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 47 

sword] well-a-day, Lady, if he be not drawn now ! 
We shall see wilful murder committed. 

Bard. Good heutenant! good corporal! offer 
nothing here. 

Nym. Pish. 

Pist. Pish for thee, Iceland dog! thou prick-ear'd 
cur of Iceland. 40 

Host. Good Corporal Nym, show thy valour, 
and put up your sword. 

Nym. Will you shog off? I would have you solus. 

Pist. Solus, egregious dog? O viper vile! 
The solus in thy most mervailous face; 
The solus in thy teeth, and in thy throat. 
And in thy hateful lungs, yea, in thy maw, perdy; 
And, which is worse, within thy nasty mouth ! 
I do retort the solus in thy bowels; 
For I can take, and Pistol's cock is up, 50 

And flashing fire will follow. 

Nym. I am not Barbason; you cannot conjure 
me. I have a humour to knock you indifferently 
well. If you grow foul with me, Pistol, I will scour 
you with my rapier, as I may, in fair terms: if you 
would walk off, I would prick your guts a little, in 
good terms, as I may : and that 's the humour of it. 

Pist. O braggart vile, and damned furious wight! 
The grave doth gape, and doting death is near; 
Therefore exhale. eo 

Bard. Hear me, hear me what I say: he that 
strikes the first stroke, I '11 run him up to the hilts, 
as I am a soldier. [Draws 



48 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act II 

Pist. An oath of mickle might; and fury shall 
abate. 
Give me thy fist, thy fore-foot to me give: 
Thy spirits are most tall. 

Nym. I will cut thy throat, one time or other, in 
fair terms: that is the humour of it. 

Pist. Couple a gorge! 
That 's the word. I defy thee again. 

hound of Crete, think'st thou my spouse to get? 
No; to the spital go. 

And from the powdering-tub of infamy 
Fetch forth the lazar kite of Cressid's kind, 
Doll Tearsheet she by name, and her espouse: 

1 have, and I will hold, the quondam Quickly 
For the only she; and — pauca, there 's enough. 
Goto. 

Enter the Boy 

Boy. Mine host Pistol, you must come to my 
master — and you, hostess; he is very sick, and 
would to bed. — Good Bardolph, put thy face be- 
tween his sheets, and do the office of a warming- 
pan. Faith, he 's very ill. 

Bard. Away, you rogue! 

Host. By my troth, he '11 yield the crow a pudding 
one of these days: the king has killed his heart. — 
Good husband, come home presently. 

[Exeunt Hostess and Boy 

Bard. Come, shall I make you two friends? 
We must to France together: why the devil should 
we keep knives to cut one another's throats? 



Scene I] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 49 

Pist. Let floods o'erswell, and fiends for food 
howl on! 

Nym. You '11 pay me the eight shilHngs I won 
of you at betting? 

Pist. Base is the slave that pays. 

Nym. That now I will have; that's the humour 
of it. 

Pist. As manhood shall compound : push home. 

[They draw 

Bard, By this sword, he that makes the first 
thrust, I '11 kill him; by this sword, I will. 

Pist. Sword is an oath, and oaths must have loo 
their course. 

Bard. Corporal Nym, an thou wilt be friends, be 
friends; an thou wilt not, why then be enemies with 
me too. Prithee, put up. 

Nym. I shall have my eight shiUings I won of 
you at betting? 

Pist. A noble shalt thou have, and present pay; 
And liquor likewise will I give to thee, 
And friendship shall combine, and brotherhood: 
I '11 live by Nym, and Nym shall live by me; — no 

Is not this just? — for I shall sutler be 
Unto the camp, and profits will accrue. 
Give me thy hand. 

Nym. I shall have my noble? 

Pist. In cash most justly paid. 

Nym. Well, then, that 's the humour of 't. 



50 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act II 

Re-enter Hostess 

Host. As ever you came of women, come in 
quickly to Sir John. Ah, poor heart! he is so 
shaked of a burning quotidian tertian, that it is 
most lamentable to behold. Sweet men, come to 120 
him. 

Nym. The king hath run bad humours on the 
knight; that 's the even of it. 

Pist. Nym, thou hast spoke the right; 
His heart is fracted and corroborate. 

Nym. The king is a good king; but it must be as 
it may; he passes some humours and careers. 

Pist. Let us condole the knight; for lambkins, 
we will live. [Exeunt 

Scene II 
Southampton. A council-chamber 
Enter Exeter, Bedford, and Westmoreland 
Bed. 'Fore God, his grace is bold, to trust these 

traitors. 
Exe. They shall be apprehended by and by. 
West. How smooth and even they do bear them- 
selves! 
As if allegiance in their bosoms sat, 
Crowned with faith and constant loyalty. 

Bed. The king hath note of all that they intend, 
By interception which they dream not of. 
Exe. Nay, but the man that was his bedfellow, 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 51 

Whom he hath dull'd and cloy'd with gracious 

favours, — 
That he should, for a foreign purse, so sell lo 

His sovereign's life to death and treachery! 

Trumpets sound. Enter King Henry, Scroop, 

Cambridge, Grey, and Attendants 
K. Hen. Now sits the wind fair, and we will 
aboard. 
My Lord of Cambridge, and my kind Lord of 

Masham, 
And you, my gentle knight, give me your thoughts: 
Think you not that the powers we bear with us 
Will cut their passage through the force of France, 
Doing the execution and the act 
For which we have in head assembled them? 
Scroop. No doubt, my liege, if each man do his 

best. 
K. Hen. I doubt not that; since we are well 
persuaded 20 

We carry not a heart with us from hence 
That grows not in a fair consent with ours, \.^ 

Nor leave not one behind that doth not wish '^^ 
Success and conquest to attend on us. 

Cam. Never was monarch better fear'd and lov'd 
Than is your majesty; there 's not, I think, a subject 
That sits in heart-grief and uneasiness 
Under the sweet shade of your government. 

Grey. True: those that were your father's 
enemies 



52 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act II 

Have steep' d their galls in honey, and do serve 

you 30 

With hearts create of duty and of zeal. 

K. Hen. We therefore have great cause of 
thankfulness, 
And shall forget the office of our hand 
Sooner than quittance of desert and merit. 
According to the weight and worthiness. 

Scroop. So service shall with steeled sinews toil, 
And labour shall refresh itself with hope 
To do your grace incessant services. 

K. Hen. We judge no less. — Uncle of Exeter, 
Enlarge the man committed yesterday 40 

That rail'd against our person: we consider 
It was excess of wine that set him on; 
And on his more advice we pardon him. 

Scroop. That 's mercy, but too much security: 
Let him be punished, sovereign, lest example 
Breed, by his sufferance, more of such a kind. 

K. Hen. O, let us yet be merciful. 

Cam. So may your highness, and yet punish too. 

Grey. Sir, 
You show great mercy, if you give him life, 50 

After the taste of much correction. 

K. Hen. Alas, your too much love and care of 
me 
Are heavy orisons 'gainst this poor wretch! 
If little faults, proceeding on distemper. 
Shall not be wink'd at, how shall we stretch our 
eye 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 53 

When capital crimes, chew'd, swallow'd, and 

digested, 
Appear before us? — We '11 yet enlarge that man, 
Though Cambridge, Scroop, and Grey, in their dear 

care 
And tender preservation of our person. 
Would have him punish'd. And now to our French 

causes; eo 

Who are the late commissioners? 

Cam. I one, my lord: 
Your highness bade me ask for it to-day. 
Scroop. So did you me, my liege. 
Grey. And I, my royal sovereign. 
K. Hen. Then, Richard Earl of Cambridge, there 

is yours; 
There yours. Lord Scroop of Masham; and, sir 

knight. 
Grey of Northumberland, this same is yours: 
Read them; and know I know your worthiness. 
My Lord of Westmoreland, and Uncle Exeter, 7o 

We will aboard to-night. — Why, how now, gen- 
tlemen! 
What see you in those papers that you lose 
So much complexion? — look ye how they change! 
Their cheeks are paper. — Why, what read you 

there 
That hath so cowarded and chas'd your blood 
Out of appearance? 

Cam. I do confess my fault; 

And do submit me to your highness' mercy. 



54 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act II 

Greij, Scroop. To which we all appeal. 

K. Hen. The mercy that was quick in us but late, 
By your own counsel is suppress'd and kill'd: so 

You must not dare, for shame, to talk of mercy; 
For your own reasons turn into your bosoms, 
As dogs upon their masters, worrying you. 
See you, my princes and my noble peers. 
These Enghsh monsters! My Lord of Cambridge 

here, — 
You know how apt our love was to accord 
To furnish him with all appcrtinents 
Belonging to his honour; and this man 
Hath, for a few light crowns, lightly conspir'd, 
And sworn unto the practices of France, 9o 

To kill us here in Hampton; to the which 
This knight, no less for bounty bound to us 
Than Cambridge is, hath likewise sworn. But O, 
What shall I say to thee, Lord Scroop? thou cruel, 
Ingrateful, savage, and inhuman creature! 
Thou that didst bear the key of all my counsels. 
That knew'st the very bottom of my soul, 
That almost mightst have coined me into gold, 
Wouldst thou have practis'd on me for thy use; — 
May it be possible that foreign hire loo 

Could out of thee extract one spark of evil 
That might annoy my finger? 't is so strange 
That, though the truth of it stands off as gross 
As black from white, my eye will scarcely see it. 
Treason and murder ever kept together. 
As two yoke-devils sworn to cither's purpose. 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 55 

Working so grossly in a natural cause 

That admiration did not hoop at them: 

But thou, 'gainst all proportion, didst bring in 

Wonder to wait on treason and on murder: no 

And whatsoever cunning fiend it was 

That wrought upon thee so preposterously, 

Hath got the voice in hell for excellence: 

And other devils that suggest by treasons 

Do botch and bungle up damnation 

With patches, colours, and with forms being fetch'd 

From glistering semblances of piety; 

But he that temper' d thee bade thee stand up. 

Gave thee no instance why thou shouldst do treason. 

Unless to dub thee with the name of traitor. 120 

If that same demon that hath gull'd thee thus 

Should with his lion gait walk the whole world, 

He might return to vasty Tartar back, 

And tell the legions, 'I can never win 

A soul so easy as that Englishman's/ 

O, how hast thou with jealousy infected 

The sweetness of affiance! Show men dutiful? 

Why, so didst thou: seem they grave and learned? 

Why, so didst thou: come they of noble family? 

Why, so didst thou: seem they religious? i3o 

Why, so didst thou: or are they spare in diet, 

Free from gross passion or of mirth or anger. 

Constant in spirit, not swerving with the blood, 

Garnish 'd and deck'd in modest complement. 

Not working with the eye without the ear, 

And but in purged judgement trusting neither? 



56 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act II 

Such and so finely bolted didst thou seem: 

And thus thy fall hath left a kind of blot, 

To mark the full-fraught man and best indued 

With some suspicion. I will weep for thee; ho 

For this revolt of thine, methinks, is like 

Another fall of man. — Their faults are open. 

Arrest them to the answer of the law; 

And God acquit them of their practices! 

Exe. I arrest thee of high treason, by the name 
of Richard Earl of Cambridge. 

I arrest thee of high treason, by the name of 
Henry Lord Scroop of Masham. 

I arrest thee of high treason, by the name of 
Thomas Grey, knight, of Northumberland. iso 

Scroop. Our purposes God justly hath discover'd; 
And I repent my fault more than my death; 
Which I beseech your highness to forgive, 
Although my body pay the price of it. 

Cam. For me — the gold of France did not 
seduce; 
Although I did admit it as a motive 
The sooner to effect what I intended: 
But God be thanked for prevention; 
Which I in sufferance heartily will rejoice, 
Beseeching God and you to pardon me. i6o 

Grey. Never did faithful subject more rejoice 
At the discovery of most dangerous treason 
Than I do at this hour joy o'er myself. 
Prevented from a damned enterprise: 
My fault, but not my body, pardon, sovereign. 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 57 

K. Hen. God quit you in his mercy! Hear your 
sentence. 
You have conspir'd against our royal person, 
Join'd with an enemy proclaimed, and from his coffers 
Receiv'd the golden earnest of our death; 
Wherein you would have sold your king to slaughter, i7o 
His princes and his peers to servitude, 
His subjects to oppression and contempt. 
And his whole kingdom into desolation. \ ' 

Touching our person, seek we no revenge; ' n\ 

But we our kingdom's safety must so tender, 
Whose ruin you have sought, that to her laws 
We do deliver you. Get you therefore hence. 
Poor miserable wretches, to your death: 
The taste whereof, God, of his mercy, give 
You patience to endure, and true repentance iso 

Of all your dear offences! — Bear them hence. 

[Exeunt Cambridge, Scroop, and Grey, guarded 
Now, lords, for France; the enterprise whereof 
Shall be to you, as us, like glorious. 
We doubt not of a fair and lucky war; 
Since God so graciously hath brought to light 
This dangerous treason lurking in our way 
To hinder our beginnings. We doubt not now 
But every rub is smoothed on our way. 
Then, forth, dear countrymen; let us deliver 
Our puissance into the hand of God, i9o 

Putting it straight in expedition. 
Cheerly to sea; the signs of war advance: 
No king of England, if not king of France. [Exeunt 



58 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act II 

Scene III 

London. Before a tavern 

Enter Pistol, Hostess, Nym, Bardolph, and Boy 

Host. Prithee, honey-sweet husband, let me bring 
thee to Staines. 

Pist. No; for my manly heart doth. yearn. 
Bardolph, be blithe; — Nym, rouse thy vaunting 

veins; — 
Boy, bristle thy courage up; for Falstaff he is dead, 
And we must yearn therefore. 

Bard. Would I were with him, wheresome'er he 
is, either in heaven or in hell! 

Host. Nay, sure, he 's not in hell: he 's in Arthur's 
bosom, if ever man went to Arthur's bosom. 'A made lo 
a finer end and went away an it had been any chris- 
tom child; 'a parted even just between twelve and 
one, even at the turning o' the tide: for after I saw 
him fumble with the sheets, and play with the flowers, 
and smile upon his fingers' ends, I knew there was 
but one way; for his nose was as sharp as a pen, and 
'a babbled of green fields. 'How now. Sir John!' 
quoth I: 'what, man! be o' good cheer.' So 'a cried 
out, 'God, God, God!' three or four times. Now I, 
to" comfort him, bid him 'a should not think of God; 20 
I hoped there was no need to trouble himself with any 
such thoughts yet. So 'a bade me lay more clothes 
on his feet: I put my hand into the bed and felt 
them, and -they were as cold as any stone; then I 



Scene III] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 59 

felt to his knees, and so upward and upward, and 
all was as cold as any stone. 

Nym. They say he cried out of sack. 

Host. Ay, that 'a did. 

Bard. And of women. 

Host. Nay, that 'a did not. so 

Boij. Yes, that 'a did; and said they were devils 
incarnate. 

Host. 'A could never abide carnation: 't was a 
colour he never liked. 

Boy. Do you not remember, 'a saw a flea stick 
upon Bardolph's nose, and 'a said it was a black soul 
burning in hell-fire? 

Bard. Well, the fuel is gone that maintained 
that fire: that 's all the riches I got in his service. 

Nym. Shall we shog? the king will be gone from 40 
Southampton. 

Pist. Come, let 's away. — My love, give me thy 
lips. 
Look to my chattels and my movables : 
Let senses rule; the word is, 'Pitch and pay'; 
Trust none: 

For oaths are straws, men's faiths are wafer-cakes, 
And hold-fast is the only dog, my duck; 
Therefore, caveto be thy counsellor. 
Go, clear thy crystals. — Yoke-fellows in arms, 
Let us to France; Hke horse-leeches, my boys, 50 

To suck, to suck, the very blood to suck! 

Boy. And that is but unwholesome food, they say. 

Pist. Touch her soft mouth, and march. 



60 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act II ' 

Bard. Farewell, hostess. [Kissing her 

Nym. I cannot kiss, that is the humour of it; but, 
adieu. 

Pist. Let housewifery appear; keep close, I thee 

command. 
Host. Farewell; adieu. [Exeunt 

Scene IV 
France. The King's palace 

Flourish. Enter the French King, the Dauphin, the 

Dukes of Berri and Bretagne, the Constable, 

and others 

Fr. King. Thus comes the English with full 
power upon us; 
And more than carefully it us concerns 
To answer royally in our defences. 
Therefore the Dukes of Berri and Bretagne, 
Of Brabant and of Orleans, shall make forth. 
And you. Prince Dauphin, with all swift despatch, 
To line and new repair our towns of war 
With men of courage and with means defendant; 
For England his approaches makes as fierce 
As waters to the sucking of a gulf. lo 

It fits us then to be as provident 
As fear may teach us out of late examples 
Left by the fatal and neglected English 
Upon our fields. 

Daii. My most redoubted father, 

It is most meet we arm us 'gainst the foe; 



Scene IV] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 61 

For peace itself should not so dull a kingdom, 

Though war nor no known quarrel were in question, 

But that defences, musters, preparations. 

Should be maintained, assembled, and collected, 

As were a war in expectation. 20 

Therefore I say 't is meet we all go forth 

To view the sick and feeble parts of France; 

And let us do it with no show of fear; 

No, with no more than if we heard that England 

Were busied with a Whitsun morris-dance: 

For, my good liege, she is so idly king'd. 

Her sceptre so fantastically borne 

By a vain, giddy, shallow, humorous youth. 

That fear attends her not. 

Con. O peace. Prince Dauphin! 

You are too much mistaken in this king: . 30 

Question your grace the late ambassadors. 
With what great state he heard their embassy, 
How well supplied with noble counsellors. 
How modest in exception, and withal 
How terrible in constant resolution. 
And you shall find his vanities forespent 
Were but the outside of the Roman Brutus, 
Covering discretion with a coat of folly; 
As gardeners do with ordure hide those roots 
That shall first spring and be most delicate. 40 

Dau. Well, 't is not so, my lord high constable; 
But though we think it so, it is no matter: 
In cases of defence 't is best to weigh 
The enemy more mighty than he seems: 



62 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act II 

So the proportions of defence are fiU'd; 
Which of a weak and niggardly projection 
Doth, Hke a miser, spoil his coat with scanting 
A little cloth. 

Fr. King. Think we King Harry strong; 
And, princes, look you strongly arm to meet him. 
The kindred of him hath been flesh'd upon us; 5o 

And he is bled out of that bloody strain 
That haunted us in our familiar paths: 
Witness our too much memorable shame, 
When Cressy battle fatally was struck, 
And all our princes captiv'd by the hand 
Of that black name, Edward, Black Prince of 

Wales; 
Whiles that his mountain sire, on mountain standing. 
Up in the air, crown' d with the golden sun. 
Saw his heroical seed, and smil'd to see him 
Mangle the work of nature, and deface eo 

The patterns that by God and by French fathers 
Had twenty years been made. This is a stem 
Of that victorious stock; and let us fear 
The native mightiness and fate of him. 

Enter a Messenger 

Mess. Ambassadors from Harry King of England 
Do crave admittance to your majesty. 

Fr. King. We '11 give them present audience. Go, 
and bring them. — 

[Exeunt Messenger and certain Lords 
You see this chase is hotly follow'd, friends. 



Scene IV] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 63 

Dau. Turn head, and stop pursuit: for coward 

dogs 
Most spend their mouths, when what they seem to 

threaten 7o 

Runs far before them. Good my sovereign, 
Take up the Enghsh short, and let them know 
Of what a monarchy you are the head; 
Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin 
As self-neglecting. 

Re-enter Lords, with Exeter and train 

Fr. King. From our brother of England? 

Exe. From him; and thus he greets your majesty. 
He wills you, in the name of God Almighty, 
That you divest yourself, and lay apart 
The borrowed glories that, by gift of Heaven, 
By law of nature and of nations, 'long so 

To him and to his heirs; namely, the crown, 
And all wide-stretched honours that pertain, 
By custom and the ordinance of times. 
Unto the crown of France. That you may know 
'T is no sinister nor no awkward claim, 
Pick'd from the worm-holes of long-vanish'd days, 
Nor from the dust of old oblivion rak'd. 
He sends you this most memorable line, 

[Gives a paper 
In every branch truly demonstrative; 
Willing you overlook this pedigree: 90 

And when you find him evenly deriv'd 
From his most fam'd of famous ancestors, 



64 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act II 

Edward the Third, he bids you then resign 
Your crown and kingdom, indirectly held 
From him the native and true challenger. 

Fr. King. Or else what follows? 

Exe. Bloody constraint; for, if you hide the crown 
Even in your hearts, there will he rake for it : 
Therefore in fierce tempest is he coming, 
In thunder and in earthquake, like a Jove, loo 

That, if requiring fail, he will compel; 
And bids you, in the bowels of the Lord, 
Dehver up the crown, and to take mercy • 
On the poor souls for whom this hungry war 
Opens his vasty jaws; and on your head 
Turning the widows' tears, the orphans' cries. 
The dead men's blood, the pining maidens' groans, 
For husbands, fathers, and betrothed lovers. 
That shall be swallow'd in this controversy. 
This is his claim, his threat'ning, and my message: no 
Unless the Dauphin be in presence here. 
To whom expressly I bring greeting too. 

Fr. King. For us, we will consider of this further : 
To-morrow shall you bear our full intent 
Back to our brother England. 

Dau. For the Dauphin, 

I stand here for him: what to him from England? 

Exe. Scorn and defiance; slight regard, contempt, 
And any thing that may not misbecome 
The mighty sender, doth he prize you at. 
Thus says my king: an if your father's highness 120 

Do not, in grant of all demands at large, 



Scene IV] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 65 

Sweeten the bitter mock you sent his majesty, 
He '11 call you to so hot an answer of it 
That caves and womby vaultages of France 
Shall chide your trespass, and return your mock 
In second accent of his ordnance. 

Dau. Say, if my father render fair return. 
It is against my will; for I desire 
Nothing but odds with England : to that end. 
As matching to his youth and vanity, 130 

I did present him with the Paris balls. 

Exe. He '11 make your Paris Louvre shake for it. 
Were it the mistress court of mighty Europe: 
And, be assur'd, you'll find a difference. 
As we his subjects have in wonder found. 
Between the promise of his greener days 
And these he masters now; now he weighs time 
Even to the utmost grain; that you shall read 
In your own losses, if he stay in France. 

Fr. King. To-morrow shall you know our mind at 
full. [Flourish 140 

Exe. Despatch us with all speed, lest that our 
king 
Come here himself to question our delay; 
For he is footed in this land already. 

Fr. King. You shall be soon dospatch'd with fair 
conditions: 
A night is but small breath and little pause 
To answer matters of this consequence. [Exeunt 



ACT III 

Prologue 
Flourish. Enter Chorus 
Chor. Thus with imagin'd wing our swift scene 
flies 
In motion of no less celerity 

Than that of thought. Suppose that you have seen 
The well-appointed king at Hampton pier 
Embark his royalty; and his brave fleet 
With silken streamers the young Phoebus fanning: 
Play with your fancies, and in them behold 
Upon the hempen tackle ship-boys chmbing; 
Hear the shrill whistle which doth order give 
To sounds confus'd; behold the threaden sails, lo 

Borne with the invisible and creeping wind, 
Draw the huge bottoms through the furrow'd sesLyry'^^m^^' 
Breasting the lofty surge: O, do but think 
You stand upon the rivage, and behold 
A city on the inconstant billows dancing; 
For so appears this fleet majestical. 
Holding due course to Harfleur. Follow, follow! 
Grapple your minds to sternage of this navy. 
And leave your England, as dead midnight still, 
Guarded with grandsires, babies, and old women, 20 

Either past or not arriv'd to pith and puissance : 

66 



Scene I] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 67 

For who is he, whose chin is but enrich'd 
With one appearing hair, that will not follow 
These cull'd and choice-drawn cavaliers to France? 
Work, work your thoughts, and therein see a siege; 
Behold the ordnance on their carriages, 
With fatal mouths gaping on girded Harfleur. 
Suppose th' ambassador from the French comes 

back ; 
Tells Harry that the king doth offer him 
Katharine his daughter; and with her, to dowry, so 

Some petty and unprofitable dukedoms. 
The offer likes not: and the nimble gunner 
With linstock now the devihsh cannon touches, 

[Alarum, and chambers go off 
And down goes all before them. Still be kind, 
And eke out our performance with your mind. [Exit 

Scene I 
France. Before Harfleur 

Alarums. Enter King Henry, Exeter, Bedford, 
Gloucester, and Soldiers, with scaling ladders 
K. Hen. Once more unto the breach, dear friends, 
once more; 
Or close the wall up with our English dead! 
In peace there 's nothing so becomes a man 
As modest stillness and humihty: 
But, when the blast of war blows in our ears, 
Then imitate the action of the tiger; 
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, 



. i 



68 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act III 

Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage; 

Then lend the eye a terrible aspect; 

Let it pry through the portage of the head lo 

Like the brass cannon; let the brow overwhelm it, 

As fearfully as doth a galled rock 

O'erhang and jutty his confounded base, 

Swiird with the wild and wasteful ocean. 

Now set the teeth, and stretch the nostril wide, . ^ 

Hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit 

To his full height! On, on, you noblest Enghsh, 

Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof! 

Fathers that, like so many Alexanders, 

Ht^ve in these parts from morn till even fought, 20 

And sheath'd their swords for lack of argument: 

Dishonour not your mothers; now attest 

That those v/hom you call'd fathers did beget you! 

Be copy now to men of grosser blood. 

And teach them how to war ! — And you, good 

yeomen. 
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here 
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear 
That you are worth your breeding: which I doubt 

not; 
For there is none of you so mean and base, 
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes. so 

I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips. 
Straining upon the start. The game 's afoot; 
Follow j^our spirit; and upon this charge 
Cry, 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!' 
[Exeunt. Alarum, and chambers go off 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 69 

Scene II 

The same 

Enter Nym, Bardolph, Pistol, and Boy 

Bard. On, on, on, on, on! to the breach, to the 
breach ! 

Nyyii. Pray thee, corporal, stay; the knocks are 
too hot; and, for mine own part, I have not a case 
of Hves: the humour of it is too hot, that is the very 
plain-song of it. 

Pist. The plain-song is most just; for humours 
do abound: 

Knocks go and come; God's vassals drop and die; 
And sword and sliield. 

In bloody field, lo 

Doth win immortal fame. 

Boy. Would I were in an alehouse in London! I 
would give all my fame for a pot of ale and safety. 
Pist. And I: 

If wishes would prevail with me, 
My purpose should not fail with me, 
But thither would I liie. 

Boy. As duly, but not as truly, 
As bird doth sing on bough. 

Enter Fluellen 

Flu. Up to the breach, you dogs! avaunt, you 20 
cuUions. [Driving them forward 

Pist. Be merciful, great duke, to men of mould! 
Abate thy rage, abate thy manly rage; 



70 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act III 

Abate thy rage, great duke! 

Good bawcock, bate thy rage; use lenity, sweet 
chuck! 

Nym. These be good humours ! — your honour 
wins bad humours. [Exeunt all hut Boy 

Boy. As young as I am, I have observed these 
three swashers. I am boy to them all three: but 
all they three, though they would serve me, could so 
not be man to me; for, indeed, three such antics 
do not amount to a man. For Bardolph — he is 
white-livered and red-faced; by the means whereof 
'a faces it out, but fights not. For Pistol — he hath 
a kiUing tongue and a quiet sword; by the means 
whereof 'a breaks words, and keeps whole weapons. 
For Nym — he hath heard that men of few words 
are the best men; and therefore he scorns to say 
his prayers, lest 'a should be thought a coward: but 
his few bad words are match 'd with as few good 4l 
deeds; for 'a never broke any man's head but his 
own, and that was against a post when he was 
drunk. They will steal any thing, and call it pur- 
chase. Bardolph stole a lute-case, bore it twelve 
leagues, and sold it for three half -pence. Nym and 
Bardolph are sworn brothers in filching, and in 
Calais they stole a fire-shovel : I knew by that piece 
of service the men would carry coals. They would 
have me as familiar with men's pockets as their 
gloves or their handkerchers : which makes much so 
against my manhood, if I should take from another's 
pocket to put into mine; for it is plain pocketing up 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 71 

of wrongs. I must leave them, and seek some better 
service: their villainy goes against my weak stom- 
ach, and therefore I must cast it up. [Exit 

Re-enter Fluellen, Gower following 

Gow. Captain Fluellen, you must come presently 
to the mines; the Duke of Gloucester would speak 
with you. 

Flu. To the mines! tell you the duke, it is not so 
good to come to the mines; for, look you, the mines eo 
is not according to the disciplines of the war; the 
concavities of it is not sufficient; for, look you, th' 
athversary — you may discuss unto the duke, look 
you — is digt himself four yard under the counter- 
mines: by Cheshu, I think 'a will plough up all, if 
there is not better directions. 

Gow. The Duke of Gloucester, to whom the order 
of the siege is given, is altogether directed by an 
Irishman, a very valiant gentleman, i' faith. 

Flu. It is Captain Macmorris, is it not? 70 

Gow. I think it be. 

Flu. By Cheshu, he is an ass, as in the world: I 
will verify as much in his beard; he has no more 
directions in the true disciplines of the wars, look 
you, of the Roman discipHnes, than is a puppy-dog. 

Enter Macmorris and Captain J amy 

Gow. Here 'a comes; and the Scots captain, 
Captain Jamy, with him. 
Flu. Captain Jamy is a marvellous falorous gen- 



72 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act III 

tleman, that is certain; and of great expedition and 
knowledge in the aunchient wars, upon my par- so 
ticular knowledge of his directions: by Cheshu, he 
will maintain his argument as well as any military 
man in the world, in the disciplines of the pristine 
wars of the Romans. 

Jamy. I say gud-day, Captain Fluellen. 

Flu. God-den to your worship, good Captain 
James. 

Gow. How now. Captain Macmorris! have you 
quit the mines? have the pioneers given o'er? 

Mac. By Chrish, la! tish ill done: the work ish 9o 
give over, the trompet sound the retreat. By my 
hand, I swear, and my father's soul, the work ish 
ill done; it ish give over; I would have blowed up 
the town, so Chrish save me, la! in an hour: O, 
tish ill done, tish ill done; by my hand, tish ill done! 

Flu. Captain Macmorris, I beseech you now, 
will you voutsafe me, look you, a few disputations 
with you, as partly touching or concerning the dis- 
ciplines of the war, the Roman wars, in the way of 
argument, look you, and friendly communication; lOo 
partly to satisfy my opinion, and partly for the 
satisfaction, look you, of my mind, as touching the 
direction of the military discipline; that is the point. 

Jamy. It sail be vary gad, gud feith, gud cap- 
tains bath; and I sail quit you with gud leve, as I 
may pick occasion; that sail I, marry. 

Mac. It is no time to discours3, so Chrish save 
me: the day is hot, and the weather, and the wars, 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 73 

and the king, and the dukes: it is no time to dis- 
course. The town is beseeched, and the trumpet no 
caU us to the breach; and we talk, and, be Chrish, 
do nothing: 'tis shame for us all: so God sa' me, 
't is shame to stand still; it is shame, by my hand: 
and there is throats to be cut, and works to be done; 
and there ish nothing done, so Chrish sa' me, la! 

Jamij. By the mess, ere theise eyes of mine take 
themselves to slomber, I '11 de gud service, or I '11 
lig i' the grund for it; ay, or go to death; and I '11 
pay 't as valorously as I may, that sail I suerly do, 
that is the breff and the long : marry, I wad full fain 120 
heard some question 'tween you tway. 

Flu. Captain Macmorris, I think, look you, 
under your correction, there is not many of your 
nation 

Mac. Of my nation! What ish my nation? Ish 
a villain, and a bastard, and a knave, and a rascal. 
What ish my nation? Who talks of my nation? 

Flu. Look you, if you take the matter otherwise 
than is meant. Captain Macmorris, peradventure 
I shall think you do not use me with that affability 130 
as in discretion you ought to use me, look you; being 
as good a man as yourself, both in the disciplines of 
wars and in the derivation of my birth, and in other 
particularities. 

Mac. I do not know you so good a man as myself; 
so Chrish save me, I will cut off your head. 

Gow. Gentlemen both, you will mistake each 
other. 



74 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act III 

J amy. A! that 's a foul fault. [A parley sounded 

Gow. The town sounds a parley. 

Flu. Captain Macmorris, when there is more 
better opportunity to be required, look you, I will 
be so bold as to tell you I know the disciplines of 
war; and there is an end. [Exeunt 

Scene III 
Before the gates of Harjleur 

The Governor and some Citizens on the walls; the 
English Forces below. Enter King Henry and 
his train. 

K. Hen. How yet resolves the governor of the 
town? 
This is the latest parle we will admit : 
Therefore to our best mercy give yourselves; 
Or, like to men proud of destruction, 
Defy us to our worst: for, as I am a soldier, 
A name that in my thoughts becomes me best, 
If I begin the battery once again, 
, I will not leave the half-achieved Harfleur 
/ Till in her ashes she lie buried. 
^ The gates of mercy shall be all shut up; 
And the flesh' d soldier, rough and hard of heart. 
In liberty of bloody hand shall range 
With conscience wide as hell, mowing like grass 
Your fresh fair virgins and your flowering infants. 
What is it then to me, if impious war. 
Array' d in flames like to the prince of fiends, 



Scene Til] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 75 

Do, with his smirched complexion, all fell feats 

Enlink'd to waste and desolation? 

What is 't to me, when you yourselves are cause, 

If your pure maidens fall into the hand 20 

Of hot and forcing violation? 

What rein can hold licentious wickedness 

When down the hill he holds his fierce career? 

We may as bootless spend our vain command 

Upon th' enraged soldiers in their spoil. 

As send precepts to the leviathan 

To come ashore. Therefore, ye men of Harfleur, 

Take pity of your town and of your people. 

Whiles yet my soldiers are in my command; 

Whiles yet the cool and temperate wind of grace 30 

O'erblows the filthy and contagious clouds 

Of heady murder, spoil, and villany. ♦ 

If not, why, in a moment look to see 

The bhnd and bloody soldier with foul hand 

Defile the locks of your shrill-shrieking daughters; 

Your fathers taken by the silver beards, 

And their most reverend heads dashed to the walls; 

Your naked infants spitted upon pikes, 

Whiles the mad mothers with their howls confus'd 

Do break the clouds, as did the wives of Jewry 4o 

At Herod's bloody-hunting slaughtermen. 

What say you? will you yield, and this avoid? 

Or, guilty in defence, be thus destroyed? 

Gov, Our expectation hath this day an end: 
The Dauphin, whom of succours we entreated, 
Returns us, that his powers are yet not ready 



76 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act III 

To raise so great a siege. Therefore, great king, 

We yield our town and lives to thy soft mercy. 

Enter our gates; dispose of us and ours; 

For we no longer are defensible. so 

K. Hen. Open your gates. — Come, Uncle Exeter, 
Go you and enter Harfieur; there remain. 
And fortify it strongly 'gainst the French : 
Use mercy to them all. For us, dear uncle, 
The winter coming on, and sickness growing 
Upon our soldiers, we will retire to Calais. 
To-night in Harfieur will we be your guest; 
To-morrow for the march are we addrest. 

[Flourish. The King and Ms train enter the town 

Scene IV 

The French King's palace 

Enter Katharine and Alice 

Kath. Alice, tu as ete en Angleterre, et tu paries 
bien le langage. 

Alice. Un peu, madame. 

Kath. Je te prie m'enseignez; il f aut que j 'apprenne 
a parler. Comment appelez-vous la main en Anglois? 

Alice. La main? elle est appelee de hand. 

Kath. De hand. Et les doigts? 

Alice. Les doigts? ma foi, j'oubhe les doigts; 
mais je me souviendrai. Les doigts? je pense qu'ils 
sont appeles de fingres; oui, de fingres. lo 

Kath. La main, de hand; les doigts, de fingres. 
Je pense que je suis le bon ecolier; j'ai gagne deux 



Scene IV] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 77 

mots d'Anglois vitement. Comment appelez-vous 
les ongles? 

Alice. Les ongles? nous les appelons de nails. 

Kath. De nails. Ecoutez; dites-moi, si je parle 
bien: de hand, de fingres, et de nails. 

Alice. C'est bien dit, madame; il est fort bon 
Anglois. 

Kath. Dites-moi I'Anglois pour le bras. 20 

Alice. De arm, madame. 

Kath. Et le coude? 

Alice. De elbow. 

Kath. De elbow. Je m'en fais la repetition de tous 
les mots que vous m'avez appris des a present. 

Alice. II est trop difficile, madame, comme je pense. 

Kath. Excusez-moi, Alice; ecoutez; de hand, de 
fingres, ds nails, de arm, de bilbow. 

Alice. De elbow, madame. 

Kath. O Seigneur Dieu, je m'en oubhe! de elbow, so 
Comment appelez-vous le col? 

Alice. De neck, madame. 

Kath. De nick. Et le menton? 

Alice. De chin. 

Kath. De sin. Le col, de nick; le menton, de sin. 

Alice. Oui. Sauf votre honneur, en verite, vous 
prononcez les mots aussi droit que les natifs d'An- 
gleterre. 

Kath. Je ne doute point d'apprendre, par la grace 
de Dieu, et en peu de temps. 40 

Alice. N'avez-vous pas deja oublie ce que je vous 
ai enseigne? 



78 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act III 

Kath. Non, je reciterai a vous promptement; de 
hand, de fingres, de mails — 

Alice. De nails, madame. 

Kath. De nails, de arm, de ilbow — 

Alice. Sauf votre honneur, de elbow. 

Kath. Ainsi dis-je; de elbow, de nick, et de sin. 
Comment appelez-vous le pied et la robe? 

Alice. De foot, madame; et de coun. 50 

Kath. De foot, et de coun! O Seigneur Dieu! 
ce sont mots de son mauvais, corruptible, gros, 
et impudique, et non pour les dames d'honneur 
d'user: je ne voudrais prononcer ces mots de- 
vant les seigneurs de France pour tout le monde. 
Fob! le foot et le coun! Neanmoins, je reciterai 
une autre fois ma le9on ensemble: de hand, de fin- 
gres, de nails, de arm, de elbow, de nick, de sin, de 
foot, de coun. 

Alice. Excellent, madame! oo 

Kath. C'est assez pour une fois: allons-nous a 
diner. [Exeunt 

Scene V 

The same 

Enter the King of France, the Dauphin, the Duke 
OF Bourbon, the Constable of France, and 
others 
Fr. King. 'T is certain he hath pass'd the river 

Somme. 
Con. And if he be not fought withal, my lord, 



Scene V] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 79 

Let us not live in France; let us quit all, 
And give our vineyards to a barbarous people. 

Dau. Dieu vivant! Shall a few sprays of us, 
The emptying of our fathers' luxury, 
Our scions, put in wild and savage stock, 
Spirt up so suddenly into the clouds, 
And overlook their grafters? 

Bour. Normans, but bastard Normans, Norman 
bastards! lo 

Mort de ma vie! if they march along 
Unfought withal, but I will sell my dukedom, 
To buy a slobbery and a dirty farm 
In that nook-shotten isle of Albion. 

Con. Dieu de batailles! where have they this 
mettle? 
Is not their climate foggy, raw, and dull; 
On whom, as in despite, the sun looks pale. 
Killing their fruit with frowns? Can sodden water, 
A drench for sur-rein'd jades, their barley-broth, 
Decoct their cold blood to such valiant heat? 20 

And shall our quick blood, spirited with wine. 
Seem frosty? O, for honour of our land. 
Let us not hang like roping icicles 
Upon our houses' thatch, whiles a more frosty 

people 
Sweat drops of gallant youth in our rich fields! — 
Poor we may call them in their native lords! 

Dau. By faith and honour, our madams mock 
at us. 
And plainly say our mettle is bred out. 



80 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act III ' 

Bour. They bid us to the EngUsh dancing-schools, 
And teach lavoltas high and swift corantos; so 

Saying our grace is only in our heels, 
And that we are most lofty runaways. 

Fr. King. Where is Mont joy the herald? speed 
him hence; 
Let him greet England with our sharp defiance. 
Up, princes! and, with spirit of honour edg'd 
More sharper than your swords, hie to the field: 
Charles Delabreth, high constable of France; 
You dukes of Orleans, Bourbon, and of Berri, 
Alengon, Brabant, Bar, and Burgundy; 
Jaques Chatillon, Rambures, Vaudemont, 4u 

Beaumont, Grandpre, Roussi, and Fauconberg, 
Foix, Lestrale, Bouciqualt, and Charolois; 
High dukes, great princes, barons, lords, and 

knights, 
For your great seats now quit you of great 

shames. 
Bar Harry England, that sweeps through our land 
With pennons painted in the blood of Harfleur: 
Rush on his host, as doth the melted snow 
Upon the valleys, whose low vassal seat 
The Alps doth spit and void his rheum upon: 
Go down upon him, — you have power enough, — so 
And in a captive chariot into Rouen 
Bring him our prisoner. 

Con. This becomes the great. 

Sorry am I his numbers are so few. 
His soldiers sick and famish'd in their march; 



Scene VI] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 81 

For I am sure, when he shall see our army, 
He '11 drop his heart into the sink of fear, 
And for achievement offer us his ransom. 
Fr. King. Therefore, lord constable, haste on 
Montjoy; 
And let him say to England that we send 
To know what willing ransom he will give. eo 

Prince Dauphin, you shall stay with us in Rouen. 
Dau. Not so, I do beseech your majesty. 
Fr. King. Be patient; for you shall remain 
with us. 
Now forth, lord constable and princes all. 
And quickly bring us word of England's fall. 

[Exeunt 
I Scene VI 
The English camp in Picardy 
Enter Gower and Fluellen, meeting 
Gow. How now. Captain Fluellen! come you from 
the bridge? 

Flu. I assure you, there is very excellent services 
committed at the pridge. 

Gow. Is the Duke of Exeter safe? 
Flu. The Duke of Exeter is as magnanimous as 
Agamemnon; and a man that I love and honour 
with my soul, and my heart, and my duty, and my 
life, and my living, and my uttermost power: he is 
not (God be praised and plessed!) any hurt in the lo 
world; but keeps the pridge most valiantly, with 
excellent discipline. There is an aunchient lieu- 



82 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act III 

tenant there at the pridge — I think in my very 
conscience he is as vaUant a man as Mark Antony; 
and he is a man of no estimation in the world; but 
I did see him do as gallant service. 

Gow. What do you call him? 

Flu. . He is called Aunchient Pistol. 

Gow. I know him not. 

Flu. Here is the man. 20 

Enter Pistol 

Pist. Captain, I thee beseech to do me favours: 
The Duke of Exeter doth love thee well. 

Flu. Ay, I praise God; and I have merited some 
love at his hands. 

Pist. Bardolph, a soldier firm and sound of heart, 
And of buxom valour, hath, by cruel fate, 
And giddy Fortune's furious fickle wheel. 
That goddess bUnd, 
That stands upon the rolling, restless stone — 

Flu. By your patience, Aunchient Pistol. For- 30 
tune is painted bhnd, with a muffler before his eyes, 
to signify to you that Fortune is blind: and she is 
painted also with a wheel, to signify to you, which 
is the moral of it, that she is turning and incon- 
stant, and mutability, and variation: and her foot, 
look you, is fixed upon a spherical stone, which 
rolls, and rolls, and rolls. — In good truth, the poet 
makes a most excellent description of it: Fortune 
is an excellent moral. 

Pist. Fortune is Bardolph's foe, and frowns on him ; 40 



Scene VI] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 83 

For he hath stolen a pax, and hanged must 'a be. 

A damned death! 

Let gallows gape for dog; let man go free, 

And let not hemp his wind-pipe suffocate: 

But Exeter hath given the doom of death 

For pax of little price. 

Therefore, go speak; the duke will hear thy voice; 

And let not Bardolph's vital thread be cut 

With edge of penny cord and vile reproach: 

Speak, captain, for his life, and I will thee requite. 50 

Flu. Aunchient Pistol, I do partly understand 
your meaning. 

Pist. Why then, rejoice therefore. 

Flu. Certainly, Aunchient, it is not a thing to 
rejoice at: for if, look you, he were my brother, I 
would desire the duke to use his good pleasure, 
and put him to execution; for discipline ought to 
be used. , 

Pist. Die and be damn'd! and ^go for thy friend- 
ship ! 60 

Flu. It is well. 

Pist. The fig of Spain! [Exit 

Flu. Very good. 

Gow. Why, this is an arrant counterfeit rascal; 
I remember him now; a cutpurse. 

Flu. I '11 assure you, 'a uttered as prave words at 
the pridge as you shall see in a summer's day. But 
it is very well; what he has spoke to me, that is 
well, I warrant you, when time is serve. 

Gow. Why, 't is a gull, a fool, a rogue, that now 7o 



84 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act III 

and then goes to the wars, to grace himself at his 
return into London under the form of a soldier. 
And such fellows are perfect in the great com- 
manders' names: and they will learn you by rote 
where services were done; at such and such a 
sconce, at such a breach, at such a convoy; who 
came off bravely, who was shot, who disgraced, 
what terms the enemy stood on; and this they con 
perfectly in the phrase of war, which they trick up 
with new-tuned oaths: and what a beard of the 
general's cut and a horrid suit of the camp will do 
among foaming bottles and ale-washed wits, is won- 
derful to be thought on. But you must learn to 
know such slanders of the age, or else you may be 
marvellously mistook. 

Flu. I tell you what. Captain Gower; I do per- 
ceive he is not the man that he would gladly make 
show to the world he is; if I find a hole in his coat, 
I will tell him my mind. [Drum heard] Hark you, 
the king is coming, and I must speak with him from 
the pridge. 

Enter King Henry, Gloucester, and Soldiers 
Drum and colours 

God pless your majesty! 

K. Hen. How now, Fluellen! camest thou from 
the bridge? 

Flu. Ay, so please your majesty. The Duke of 
Exeter has very gallantly maintained the pridge: 



Scene VI] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 85 

the French is gone off, look you; and there is gal- 
lant and most prave passages: marry, th' athversary 
was have possession of the pridge; but he is en- 
forced to retire, and the Duke of Exeter is master of loo 
the pridge; I can tell your majesty, the duke is a 
prave man. 

K. Hen. What men have you lost, Fluellen? 

Flu. The perdition of th' athversary hath been 
very great, reasonable great: marry, for my part, 
I think the duke hath lost never a man, but one 
that is like to be executed for robbing a church, one 
Bardolph, if your majesty know the man; his face 
is all bubukles, and whelks, and knobs, and flames 
o' fire; and his lips blows at his nose, and it is like no 
a coal of fire, sometimes plue and sometimes red; 
but his nose is executed, and his fire 's out. 

K. Hen. We would have all such offenders so 
cut off: and we give express charge that, in our 
marches through the country, there be nothing 
compelled from the villages, nothing taken but paid 
for, none of the French upbraided or abused in dis- 
dainful language; for when lenity and cruelty play for Y 
a kingdom, the gentler gamester is the soonest winner. 

Tucket. Enter Montjoy 

Mont. You know me by my habit. 120 

K. Hen. Well then I know thee: what shall I 
know of thee? 

Mont. My master's mind. 
K.Hen. Unfold it. 



r 



86 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act III 

Mont Thus says my king: Say thou to Harry 
of England: Though we seemed dead, we did but 
sleep; advantage is a better soldier than rashness. 
Tell him we could have rebuked him at Harfleur, 
but that we thought not good to bruise an injury 
till it were full ripe: now we speak upon our cue, 
and our voice is imperial. England shall repent 
his folly, see his weakness, and admire our sufferance. 
Bid him, therefore, consider of his ransom; which 
must proportion the losses we have borne, the sub- 
jects we have lost, the disgrace we have digested; 
which, in weight to reanswer, his pettiness would 
bow under. For our losses, his exchequer is too 
poor; for the effusion of our blood, the muster of 
his kingdom too faint a number; and for our dis- 
grace, his own person, kneeling at our feet, but 
a weak and worthless satisfaction. To this add 
defiance: and tell him, for conclusion, he hath be- 
trayed his followers, whose condemnation is pro- 
nounced. So far my king and master; so much my 
office. 

K. Hen. What is thy name? I know thy quality. 

Mont. Montjoy. 

K. Hen. Thou dost thy office fairly. Turn thee 
back. 
And tell thy king, I do not seek him now; 
But could be willing to march on to Calais 
Without impeachment: for, to say the sooth. 
Though 't is no wisdom to confess so much 
•Unto an enemy of craft and vantage, 



X 



Scene VI] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 87 

My people are with sickness much enfeebled, 

My numbers lessen' d, and those few I have 

Almost no better than so many French; 

Who when they were in health, I tell thee, herald, 

I thought upon one pair of English legs 

Did march three Frenchmen. — Yet, forgive me, 

God, 
That I do brag thus! This your air of France leo 

Hath blown that vice in me; I must repent. 
Go, therefore, tell thy master here I am; 
My ransom is this frail and worthless trunk. 
My army but a weak and sickly guard; 
Yet, God before, tell him we will come on, 
Though France himself and such another neighbour 
Stand in our way. There 's for thy labour, Mont- 
joy. 
Go, bid thy master well advise himself: 
If we may pass, we will; if we be hinder'd, 
We shall your tawny ground with your red blood i7o 
Discolour: and so, Montjoy, fare you well. 
The sum of all our answer is but this: 
We would not seek a battle, as we are; 
Nor, as we are, we say we will not shun it; 
So tell your master. 

Mont. I shall deliver so. Thanks to your highness. 

[Exit 

Glo. I hope they will not come upon us now. 

K. Hen. We are in God's hand, brother, not in 
theirs. 
March to the bridge; it now draws toward night: 



88 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act III 

Beyond the river we '11 encamp ourselves, iso 

And on to-morrow bid them march away. [Exeunt 

/Scene VII \ 

The Fremh camp, near Agincourt 

Enter the Constable op^ France, the Lord Ram- 
BURES, Orleans, Dauphin, with others 

Con. Tut! I have the best armour of the world. 
Would it were day. 

Orl. You have an excellent armour; but let my 
horse have his due. 

Con. It is the best horse of Europe. 

Orl. Will it never be morning? 

Dau. My Lord of Orleans, and my lord high 
constable, you talk of horse and armour? 

Orl. You are as well provided of both as any 
prince in the world. lo 

Dau. What a long night is this ! I will not change 
my horse with any that treads but on four pasterns. 
Qa, ha! He bounds from the earth, as if his entrails 
were hairs; le cheval volant, the Pegasus, chez les 
narines ds feu! When I bestride him, I soar, I am a 
hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he 
touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical 
than the pipe of Hermes. 

Orl. He 's of the colour of the nutmeg. 

Dau. And of the heat of the ginger. It is a beast 20 
for Perseus : he is pure air and fire ; and the dull ele- 
ments of earth and water never appear in him, but 



Scene VII] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 89 

only in patient stillness while his rider mounts him: 
he is indeed a horse; and all other jades you may 
call beasts. 

Con. Indeed, my lord, it is a most absolute and 
excellent horse. 

Dau. It is the prince of palfreys; his neigh is 
hke the bidding of a monarch, and his countenance 
enforces homage. cO 

Orl. No more, cousin. 

Dau. Nay, the man hath no wit that cannot, 
from the rising of the lark to the lodging of the 
lamb, vary deserved praise on my palfrey. It is a 
theme as fluent as the sea; turn the sands into elo- 
quent tongues, and my horse is argument for them 
all: 't is a subject for a sovereign to reason on, and 
for a sovereign's sovereign to ride on; and for the 
world, familiar to us and unknown, to lay apart 
their particular functions and wonder at him. I 4o 
once writ a sonnet in his praise, and began thus: 
'Wonder of nature — ' 

Orl. I have heard a sonnet begin so to one's 
mistress. 

Dau. Then did they imitate that which I com- 
posed to my courser, for my horse is my mistress. 

Orl. Your mistress bears well. 

Dau. Me well; which is the prescript praise and 
perfection of a good and particular mistress. 

Con. Nay, for methought yesterday your mistress 50 
shrewdly shook your back. 

Dau. go, perhaps, did yours. 



90 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act III 

Con. Mine was not bridled. 

Dau. 0, then, belike she was old and gentle; and 
you rode, like a kern of Ireland, your French hose 
off, and in your strait strossers. 

Con. You have good judgement in horsemanship. 

Dau. Be warn'd by me, then: they that ride so, 
and ride not warily, fall into foul bogs. I had rather 
have my horse to my mistress. eo 

Con. I had as lief have my mistress a jade. 

Dau. I tell thee, constable, my mistress wears his 
own hair. 

Con, I could make as true a boast as that, if I had 
a sow to my mistress. 

Dau. ' Le chien est retourne a son propre vomisse- 
ment, et la truie lavee au bourbier': thou mak'st 
use of any thing. 

Con. Yet do I not use my horse for my mistress; 
or any such proverb, so little kin to the- purpose. 7o 

Ram. My lord constable, the armour that I saw in 
your tent to-night, are those stars or suns upon it? 

Con. Stars, my lord. 

Dau. Some of them will fall to-morrow, I hope. 

Con. And yet my sky shall not want. 

Dau. That may be, for you bear a many super- 
fluously, and 't were more honour some were away. 

Con. Even as your horse bears your praises; 
who would trot as well, were some of your brags 
dismounted. so 

Dau. Would I were able to load him with his 
desert! Will it never be. day? I will trot to-morrow 



Scene VII] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 91 

a mile, and my way shall be paved with English 
faces. 

Con. I will not say so, for fear I should be faced 
out of my way: but I would it were morning, for I 
would fain be about the ears of the English. 

Ram. Who will go to hazard with me for twenty 
prisoners? 

Con. You must first go yourself to hazard, ere you 90 
have them. 

Dau. 'T is midnight; I '11 go arm myself. [Exit 

Orl. The Dauphin longs for morning. 

Ram. He longs to eat the English. 

Con. I think he will eat all he kills. 

Orl. By the white hand of my lady, he 's a gallant 
prince. 

Con. Swear by her foot, that she may tread out 
the oath. 

Orl. He is simply the most active gentleman of 100 
France. 

Con. Doing is activity; and he will still be 
doing. 

Orl. He never did harm, that I heard of. 

Con. Nor will do none to-morrow: he will keep 
that good name still. 

Orl. I know him to be valiant. 

Con. I was told that by one that knows him 
better than you. 

Orl. What 's he? no 

Con. Marry, he told me so himself; and he said . 
he cared not who knew it. 



92 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act III 

Orl. He needs not; it is no hidden virtue in him. 

Con. By my faith, sir, but it is; never any body 
saw it but his lackey: 't is a hooded valour; and 
when it appears, it will bate. 

Orl. Ill will never said well. 

Con. 1 will cap that proverb with — There is 
flattery in friendship. 

Orl. And I 'will take up that with — Give the 120 
devil his due. 

Con. Well placed; there stands your friend for 
the devil: have at the very eye of that proverb with 
— A pox of the devil. 

Orl. You are the better at proverbs, by how 
much — A fool's bolt is soon shot. 

Con. You have shot over. 

Orl. 'T is not the first time you were overshot. 

Enter a Messenger 

Mess. My lord high constable, the EngUsh lie 
within fifteen hundred paces of your tents. iso 

Con. Who hath measured the ground? 

Mess. The Lord Grandpre. 

Con. A vahant and most expert gentleman. — 
Would it were clay! — Alas, poor Harry of England! 
he longs not for the dawning as we do. 

Orl. What a wretched and peevish fellow is this 
king of England, to mope with his fat-brained fol- 
lowers so far out of his knowledge! 
'' Con. If the English had any apprehension, they 
would run away. uo 



^ 



Scene VII] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 93 

Orl. That they lack; for if their heads had any 
intellectual armour, they could never wear such 
heavy head-pieces. 

Ram. That island of England breeds very valiant 
creatures; their mastiffs are of unmatchable courage. 
^' Orl. Foolish curs, that run winking into the 
mouth of a Russian bear, and have their heads 
crushed like rotten apples! You may as well say, 
that 's a valiant flea that dare eat his breakfast on 
the hp of a hon. 150 

Con. Just, just; and the men do sympathise with 
the mastiffs in robustious and rough coming-on, 
leaving their wits with their wives: and then give 
them great meals of beef, and iron and steel, they 
will eat hke wolves, and fight Hke devils. 

Orl. Ay, but these English are shrewdly out of 
beef. 

Con. Then ^all we find to-morrow they have 
only stomachs to eat, and none to fight. Now is it 
time to arm; come, shall we about it? leo 

Orl. It is now two o'clock; but, let me see, — 
by ten. 
We shall have each a hundred Englishmen. [Exeunt 



ACT IV 

Prologue 

Enter Chorus 

Chor. Now entertain conjecture of a time 
When creeping murmur and the poring dark 
Fills the wide vessel of the universe. 
From camp to camp, through the foul womb of 

night, 
The hum of either army stilly sounds, 
That the fix'd sentinels almost receive 
The secret whispers of each other's watch. 
Fire answers fire; and through their paly flames 
Each battle sees the other's umber'd face: 
Steed threatens steed, in high and boastful neighs lo 

Piercing the night's dull ear; and from the tents 
The armourers, accompHshing the knights. 
With busy hammers closing rivets up, 
Give dreadful note of preparation. 
The country cocks do crow, the clocks do toll, 
And the third hour- of drowsy morning name. 
Proud of their numbers, and secure in soul, 
The confident and over-lusty French 
Do the low-rated English play at dice; 
And chide the cripple tardy-gaited night, 20 

Who, like a foul and ugly witch, doth limp 

94 



Prologue] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 95 

So tediously away. The poor condemned English, 

Like sacrifices, by their watchful fires 

Sit patiently, and inly ruminate 

The morning's danger; and their gesture sad. 

Investing lank-lean cheeks and war-worn coats, 

Presenteth them unto the gazing moon 

So many horrid ghosts. O now, who will behold 

The royal captain of this ruin'd band 

Walking from watch to watch, from tent to tent, 30 

Let him cry, ' Praise and glory on his head ! ' 

For forth he goes and visits all his host. 

Bids them good morrow with a modest smile, 

And calls them brothers, friends, and countrymen. 

Upon his royal face there is no note 

How dread an army hath enrounded him; 

Nor doth he dedicate one jot of colour 

Unto the weary and all-watched night; 

But freshly looks, and over-bears attaint 

With cheerful semblance and sweet majesty; 40 

That every wretch, pining and pale before, 

Beholding him, plucks comfort from his looks: 

A largess universal like the sun 

His liberal eye doth give to every one, 

Thawing cold fear, that mean and gentle all 

Behold, as may unworthiness define, 

A little touch of Harry in the night. 

And so our scene must to the battle fly; 

Where (O for pity!) we shall much disgrace, 

With four or five most vile and ragged foils, 50 

Right ill-dispos'd in brawl ridiculous, 



96 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

The name of Agincourt. Yet sit and see, 
Minding true things by what their mockeries be. 

[Exit 

Scene I 
The English camp at Agincourt 
Enter King Henry, Bedford, and Gloucester 
! K. Hen. Gloucester, 't is true that we are in great 
danger; 
The greater therefore should our courage be. 
Good morrow, brother Bedford. God Almighty! 
There is some soul of goodness in things evil, 
Would men observingly distil it out. 
For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers, 
Which is both healthful and good husbandry: 
Besides, they are our outward consciences. 
And preachers to us all, admonishing 
That we should dress us fairly for our end. lo 

Thus may we gather honey from the weed, 
And make a moral of the devil himself. — 

Enter Erpingham 
Good morrow, old Sir Thomas Erpingham: 
A good soft pillow for that good white head 
[ere better than a churlish turf of France. 
Erp. Not so, my liege; this lodging likes me 
better. 
Since I may say, 'Now He I like a king.' 
K. Hen. 'T is good for men to love their present 
pains 



Scene I] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 97 

Upon example; so the spirit is eas'd: 

And, when the mind is quicken' d, out of doubt 20 

The organs, though defunct and dead before. 

Break up their drowsy grave, and newly move 

With casted slough and fresh legerity. 

Lend me thy cloak, Sir Thomas. — Brothers both, 

Commend me to the princes in our camp; 

Do my good morrow to them; and anon 

Desire them all to my pavilion. 

Glo. We shall, my liege. 

Erj). Shall I attend your grace? 

K. Hen. No, my good knight; 

Go with my brothers to my lords of England: 30 

I and my bosom must debate awhile. 
And then I would no other company. 

Erp. The Lord in heaven bless thee, noble 
Harry! [Exeunt all hut King Henry 

K. Hen. God-a-mercy, old heart! thou speak'st 
cheerfully. 

Enter Pistol 

Pist. Qui va Id? 

K. Hen. A friend. 

Pist. Discuss unto me; art thou officer? 
Or art thou base, common, and popular? 

K. Hen. I am a gentleman of a company. 

Pist. Trail'st thou the puissant pike? 40 

K. Hen. Even so. What are you? 

Pist. As good a gentleman as the emperor. 

K. Hen. Then you are a better than the king. 

Pist. The king 's a bawcock, and a heart of gold, 



98 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

A lad of life, an imp of fame; 

Of parents good, of fist most valiant. 

I kiss his dirty shoe, and from heart-string 

I love the lovely bully. What is thy name? 

K. Hen. Harry le Red. 

Pist. Le Roy! 50 

A Cornish name; art thou of Cornish crew? 

K. Hen. No, I am a Welshman. 

Pist. Know'st thou Fluellen? 

K.Hen. Yes. 

Pist. Tell him I '11 knock his leek about his pate 
Upon Saint Davy's day. 

K. Hen. Do not you wear your dagger in your 
cap that day, lest he knock that about yours. 

Pist. Art thou his friend? 

K. Hen. And his kinsman too. eo 

Pist. The fig for thee, then! 

K. Hen. I thank you: God be with you! 

Pist. My name is Pistol call'd. [Exit 

K. Hen. It sorts well with your fierceness. 

Enter Fluellen and Gower 

Gow. Captain Fluellen! 

Flu. So! in the name of Jesu Christ, speak lower. 
It is the greatest admiration in the universal world, 
when the true and aunchient prerogatifs and laws 
of the wars is not kept: if you would take the pains 
but to examine the wars of Pompey the Great, you 
shall find, I warrant you, that there is no tiddle 
taddle nor pibble pabble in Pompey's camp; I 






Scene I] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 99 

warrant you, you shall find the ceremonies of the 
wars, and the cares of it, and the forms of it, and 
the sobriety of it, and the modesty of it, to be 
otherwise. 

Gow. Why, the enemy is loud: you hear him all 
night. 

Flu. If the enemy is an ass and a fool and a pra- 
ting coxcomb, is it meet, think you, that we should so 
also, look you, be an ass and a fool and a prating 
coxcomb? in your own conscience, now? 

Gow. I will speak lower. 

Flu. I pray you and beseech you that you will. 

[Exeunt Gower and Fluellen 

K. Hen. Though it appear a little out of fashion, 
there is much care and valour in this Welshman. 

Enter three soldiers, Bates, Court, and 
Williams 

Court. Brother John Bates, is not that the 
morning which breaks yonder? 

Bates. I think it be: but we have no great cause 
to desire the approach of day. 90 

Will. We see yonder the beginning of the day, 
but I think we shall never see the end of it. — Who 
goes there? 

K. Hen. A friend. 

Will. Under what captain serve you? 

K. Hen. Under Sir Thomas Erpingham. 

Will. A good old commander and a most kind 
gentleman : I pray you, what thinks he of our estate? 



100 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

K. Hen. Even as men wrecked upon a sand, that 
look to be washed off the next tide. loo 

Bates. He hath not told his thought to the king? 

K. Hen. No; nor it is not meet he should. For, 
though I speak it to you, I think the king is but a 
man, as I am; the violet smells to him as it doth to 
me; the element shows to him as it doth to me; all 
-his senses have but human conditions: his ceremo- 
nies laid by, in his nakedness he appears but a man; 
and though his affections are higher mounted than 
ours, yet, when they stoop, they stoop with the like 
wing. Therefore, when he sees reason of fears, as no 
we do, his fears, out of doubt, be of the same relish 
as ours are: yet, in reason, no man should possess 
him with any appearance of fear, lest he, by sho\ving 
it, should dishearten his army. 

Bates. He may show what outward courage he 
will: but I believe, as cold a night as 't is, he could 
wish himself in Thames up to the neck; and so I 
would he were, and I by him, at all adventures, 
so we were quit here. 

K. Hen. By my troth, I will speak my conscience 120 
of the king; I think he would not wish himself any 
where but where he is. 

Bates. Then I would he were here alone; so 
should he be sure to be ransomed, and a many poor 
men's lives saved. 

K. He7i. I dare say you love him not so ill, to 
wish him here alone, howsoever you speak this to 
feel other men's minds: methinks I could not die 



Scene I] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 101 

any where so contented as in the king's company; 
his cause being just and his quarrel honourable. iso 

Will. That 's more than we know. 

Bates. Ay, or more than we should seek after; 
for we know enough, if we know we are the king's 
subjects; if his cause be wrong, our obedience to 
the king wipes the crime of it out of us. 

Will. But, if the cause be not good, the king 
himself hath a heavy reckoning to make, when all 
those legs and arms and heads, chopped off in a 
battle, shall join together at the latter day, and 
cry all, 'We died at such a place'; some swearing, i40 
some crying for a surgeon, some upon their wives 
left poor behind them, some upon the debts they 
owe, some upon their children rawly left. I am 
afeard there are few die well that die in a battle; 
for how can they charitably dispose of any thing, 
when blood is their argument? Now, if these 
men do not die well, it will be a black matter for 
the king that led them to it; whom to disobey 
were against all proportion of subjection. 

K. Hen. So, if a son that is by his father sent iso 
about merchandise do sinfully miscarry upon the 
sea, the imputation of his wickedness, by your 
rule, should be imposed upon his father that sent 
him: or, if a servant, under his master's command 
transporting a sum of money, be assailed by rob- 
bers and die in many irreconciled iniquities, you 
may call the business of the master the author of 
the servant's damnation. But this is not so: the 



102 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

king is not bound to answer the particular end- 
ings of his soldiers, the father of his son, nor the i60 
master of his servant; for they purpose not their 
death, when they purpose their services. Besides, 
there is no king, be his cause never so spotless, if 
it come to the arbitrement of swords, can try it out 
with all unspotted soldiers. Some peradventure 
have on them the guilt of premeditated and con- 
trived murder; some, of beguiling virgins with the 
broken seals of perjury; some, making the wars 
their bulwark, that have before gored the gentle 
bosom of peace with pillage and robbery. Now, if i7o 
these men have defeated the law and outrun native 
punishment, though they can outstrip men, they 
have no wings to fly from God: war is His beadle, 
war is His vengeance; so that here men are pun- 
ished for before-breach of the king's laws in now 
the king's quarrel: where they feared the death, 
they have borne life away; and where they would 
be safe, they perish: then if they die unprovided, 
no more is the king guilty of their damnation than 
he was before guilty of those impieties for the iso 
which they are now visited. Every subject's duty 
is the king's; but every subject's soul is his own. 
Therefore should every soldier in the wars do as 
every sick man in his bed, wash every mote out of 
his conscience: and, dying so, death is to him ad- 
vantage; or, not dying, the time was blessedly lost 
wherein such preparation was gained: and in him 
that escapes, it were not sin to think that, making 



Scene I] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 103 

God so free an offer, He l:t him outlive that day to 
S33 His greatness and to teach others how they 193 
should prepare. 

Will. 'T is certain, every man that dies ill, the 
ill upon his own head, the king is not to answer it. \^ 

Bates. I do not desire he should answer for me; 
and yet I determine to fight lustily for him. 

K. Hen, I myself heard the king say he would 
not be ransomed. 

Will. Ay, he said so, to make us fight cheerfully: 
but when our throats are cut, he may be ransomed, 
and we ne'er the wiser. 200 

K. Hen. If I five to see it, I will never trust his 
word after. 

Will. You pay him then! That 's a perilous 
shot out of an elder-gun, that a poor and a private 
displeasure can do against a monarch! you may as 
well go about to turn the sun to ice with fanning in 
his face with a peacock's feather. You '11 never 
trust his word after! come, 't is a foolish saying. 

K. Hen. Your reproof is something too round; 
I should be angry with you, if the time were 210 
convenient. 

Will. Let it be a quarrel between us, if you live. 

K. Hen. I embrace it. 

Will. How shall I know thee again? 

K. Hen. Give me any gauge of thine, and I will 
wear it in my bonnet: then, if ever thou darest 
acknowledge it, I will make it my quarrel. 

Will. Here 's my glove; give me another of thine. 



104 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

K. Hen. There. 

Will. This will I also wear in my cap; if ever 220 
thou come to me and say, after to-morrow, 'This is 
my glove,' by this hand, I will take thee a box on 
the ear. 

K. Hen. If ever I live to see it, I will challenge it. 

Will. Thou darest as well be hanged. 

K. Hen. Well, I will do it, though I take thee in 
the king's company. 

Will. Keep thy word: fare thee well. 

Bates. Be friends, you English fools, be friends; 
we have French quarrels enow, if you could tell how 230 
to reckon. 
{ K. Hen. Indeed, the French may lay twenty 
French crowns to one, they will beat us; for they 
bear them on their shoulders: but it is no English 
treason to cut French crowns; and to-morrow the 
king himself will be a clipper. [Exeunt Soldiers 
Upon the king! let us our lives, our souls. 
Our debts, our careful wives. 
Our children, and our sins lay on the king! 
We must bear all. O hard condition, 240 

Twin-born with greatness, subject to the breath 
Of every fool, whose sense no more can feel 
But his own wringing! What infinite heart's-ease 
Must kings neglect, that private men enjoy! 
And what have kings that privates have not too. 
Save ceremony — save general ceremony? 
And what art thou, thou idol ceremony? 
What kind of god art thou, that suffer' st more 



Scene I] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 105 

Of mortal griefs than do thy worshippers? 

What are thy rents? what are thy comings-in? 250 

ceremony, show me but thy worth ! 
What is thy soul of adoration? 

Art thou aught else but place, degree, and form, 

Creating awe and fear in other men? 

Wherein thou art less happy being feared 

Than they in fearing. 

What drink'st thou oft, instead of homage sweet. 

But poison' d flattery? 0, be sick, great greatness, 

And bid thy ceremony give thee cure! 

Think'st thou the fiery fever will go out 260 

With titles blown from adulation? 

Will it give place to flexure and low bending? 

Canst thou, when thou command' st the beggar's 

knee. 
Command the health of it? No, thou proud dream, 
That play'st so subtly with a king's repose: 

1 am a king that find thee; and I know 

'T is not the balm, the sceptre, and the ball, 

The sword, the mace, the crown imperial, 

The inter-tissued robe of gold and pearl. 

The farced title running 'fore the king, 270 

The throne he sits on, nor the tide of pomp 

That beats upon the high shore of this world, — 

No, not all these, thrice gorgeous ceremony. 

Not all these, laid in bed majestical, 

Can sleep so soundly as the wretched slave, 

Who with a body fill'd and vacant mind 

Gets him to rest, cramm'd with distressful bread; 



106 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

Never sees horrid night, the child of hell; 

But, like a lackey, from the rise to set 

Sweats in the eye of Phoebus, and all night 280 

Sleeps in Elysium; next day after dawn. 

Doth rise and help Hyperion to his horse; 

And follows so the ever-running year 

With profitable labour to his grave: 

And, but for ceremony, such a wretch. 

Winding up days with toil and nights with sleep, 

Had the fore-hand and vantage of a king. 

The slave, a member of the country's peace. 

Enjoys it; but in gross brain little wots 

What watch the king keeps to maintain the peace, 290 

Whose hours the peasant best advantages. 

Enter Erpingham 

Erp. My lord, your nobles, jealous of your 
absence, 
Seek through your camp to find you. 

K. Hen. Good old knight, 

Collect them all together at my tent: 
I '11 be before thee. 
Erp. I shall do 't, my lord. [Exit 

K. Hen. O God of battles! steel my soldiers' 
hearts; 
(T Possess them not with fear; take from them now 
The sense of reckoning, if th' opposed numbers 
Pluck their hearts from them! Not to-day, Lord, 
0, not to-day, think not upon the fault 300 

, My father made in compassing the crown! 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 107 

I Richard's body have interred new; 

And on it have bestow'd more contrite tears 

Than from it issu'd forced drops of blood. 

Five hundred poor I have in yearly pay, 

Who twice a day their withered hands hold up 

Toward heaven, to pardon blood; and I have built 

Two chantries, where the sad and solemn priests 

Sing still for Richard's soul. More will I do; 

Though all that I can do is nothing worth, 310 

Since that my penitence comes after all, 

Imploring pardon. 

Enter Gloucester 
Glo. My liege! 

K. Hen. My brother Gloucester's voice? — Ay; 
I know thy errand, I will go with thee : — 
The day, my friends, and all things stay for me. 

[Exeunt 

Scene II 
The French camp 

Enter the Dauphin, Orleans, Rambures, 
and others 
Orl. The sun doth gild our armour; up, my lords! 
Dau. Montez a cheval! My horse! varlet! laquais! 

ha! 
Orl. brave spirit! 
Dau. Via! les eaux et la terre — 
Orl. Rien puis? Vair et le feu — 
Dau. del! cousin Orleans. — 



108 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

Enter Constable 
Now, my lord constable! 

Con. Hark, how our steeds for present service 

neigh. 
Dau. Mount them, and make incision in their 
hides. 
That their hot blood may spin in EngUsh eyes, lo 

And dout them with superfluous courage: ha! 

Ram. What, will you have them weep our horses' 
blood? 
How shall we then behold their natural tears? 

Enter a Messenger 
Mess. The English are embattled, you French 

peers. 
Con. To horse, you gallant princes! straight to 

horse ! 
Do but behold yon poor and starved band. 
And your fair show shall suck away their souls, 
Leaving them but the shales and husks of men. 
There is not work enough for all our hands; 
Scarce blood enough in all their sickly veins 20 

To give each naked curtle-axe a stain. 
That our French gallants shall to-day draw out, 
And sheathe for lack of sport: let us but blow on 

them, 
The vapour of our valour will o'erturn them. 
'T is positive 'gainst" all exceptions, lords. 
That our superfluous lackeys and our peasants, 
Who in unnecessary action swarm 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 109 

About our squares of battle, were enow 

To purge this field of such a hilding foe; 

Though we upon this mountain's basis by 30 

Took stand for idle speculation: 

But that our honours must not. What 's to say? 

A very httle Uttle let us do, - 

And all is done. Then let the trumpets sound 

The tucket sonance and the note to mount: 

For our approach shall so much dare the field. 

That England shall couch down in fear, and yield. 

Enter Grandpre 

Grand. Why do you stay so long, my lords of 

France? 
Yon island carrions, desperate of their bones, 
Ill-favouredly become the morning field: 40 

Their ragged curtains poorly are let loose. 
And our air shakes them passing scornfully. 
Big Mars seems bankrupt in their beggar'd host. 
And faintly through a rusty beaver peeps. 
The horsemen sit like fixed candlesticks. 
With torch-staves in their hand; and their poor 

jades 
Lob down their heads, dropping the hides and 

hips. 
The gum down-roping from their pale-dead eyes. 
And in their pale dull mouths the gimmal-bit 
Lies foul with chew'd grass, still and motionless; 50 

And their executors, the knavish crows. 
Fly o'er them^ all impatient for their hour. 



no KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

Description cannot suit itself in words 
To demonstrate the life of such a battle 
In life so lifeless as it shows itself. 

Coji. They have said their prayers, and they 
stay for death. 

Dau. Shall we go send them dinners and fresh 
suits, 
And give their fasting horses provender, 
And after fight with them? 

Con. I stay but for my guard; on to the field! eo 

I will the banner from a trumpet take, 
And use it for my haste. Come, come, away! 
The sun is high, and we outwear the day. [Exeunt 

Scene III 
The English camp 

Enter Gloucester, Bedford, Exeter, Erping- 
HAM, with all his host; Salisbury, and West- 
moreland 

Glo. Where is the king? 

Bed. The king himself is rode to view their battle. 
West. Of fighting-men they have full threescore 

thousand. 
Exe. There 's five to one; besides, they all are 

fresh. 
Sal. God's arm strike with us ! 't is a fearful odds. 

God be wi' you, princes all; I '11 to my charge; 

If we no more meet till we meet in heaven, 

Then, joyfully, — my noble Lord of Bedford, 



Scene III] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 111 

My dear Lord Gloucester, and my good Lord Exeter, 
And my kind kinsman, — warriors all, adieu! lo 

Bed. Farewell, good Salisbury; and good luck go 
with thee! 

Exe. Farewell, kind lord, fight valiantly to-day; 
And yet I do thee wrong to mind thee of it. 
For thou art fram'd of the firm truth of valour. 

[Exit Salisbury 

Bed. He is as full of valour as of kindness; 
Princely in both. 

Enter King Henry 

West. 0, that we now had here 

But one ten thousand of those men in England 
That do no work to-day! 

K. Hen. What 's he that wishes so? 

My cousin Westmoreland? — No, my fair cousin : 
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow 20 

To do our country loss; and if to live. 
The fewer men the greater share of honour. 
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. 
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold. 
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; 
It yearns me not if men my garments wear; 
Such outward things dwell not in my desires: 
But if it be a sin to covet honour, 
I am the most offending soul alive. 

No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England: 30 

God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour 
As one man more, methinks, would share from me 



112 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

For the best hope I have. 0, do not wish one more! 
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my 

host. 
That he which hath no stomach to this fight, 
Let him depart; his passport shall be made, 
And crowns for convoy put into his purse : 
We would not die in that man's company 
That fears his fellowship to die with us. 
This day is call'd the feast of Crispian: 40 

He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, 
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd, 
And rouse him at the name of Crispian. 
He that shall live this day, and see old age. 
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours. 
And say, ' To-morrow is Saint Crispian ' : 
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, 
And say, 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.' 
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot. 
But he '11 remember with advantages 50 

What feats he did that day: then shall our names, 
Familiar in his mouth as household words — 
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, 
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester — 
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd. 
This story shall the good man teach his son; 
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by. 
From this day to the ending of the world. 
But we in it shall be remembered — 
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; eo 

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me 




t^i IltUi y. uL 1 ih II i;k a sin to covet honor, 

I AM THE MOST OFFENDING SOUL ALIVE. 



Scene III] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 113 

Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, 

This day shall gentle his condition: 

And gentlemen in England now a-bed 

Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here; 

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks 

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day. 

Re-enter Salisbury 

Sal. My sovereign lord, bestow yourself with 
speed : 
The French are bravely in their battles set, 
And will with all expedience charge on us. 70 

K. Hen. All things are ready, if our minds be so. 
West. Perish the man whose mind is backward 

now! 
K. Hen. Thou dost not wish more help from 

England, coz? 
West. God's will! my liege, would you and I 
alone, 
Without more help, could fight this royal battle! 
K. Hen. Why, now thou hast unwish'd five thou- 
sand men; 
Which likes me better than to wish us one. — 
You know your places: God be with you all! 

Tucket. Enter Montjoy 

Mont. Once more I come to know of thee, King 
Harry, 
If for thy ransom thou wilt now compound, so 

Before thy most assured overthrow: 



114 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

For certainly thou art so near the gulf, 

Thou needs must be englutted. Besides, in mercy, 

The constable desires thee thou wilt mind 

Thy followers of repentance; that their souls 

May make a peaceful and a sweet retire 

From off these fields, where, wretches, their poor 

bodies 
Must lie and fester. 

K. Hen. Who hath sent thee now? 

Mont. The Constable of France. 

K. Hen. I pray thee, bear my former answer back; 90 
Bid them achieve me, and then sell my bones. 
Good God! why should they mock poor fellows 

thus? 
The man that once did sell the lion's skin. 
While the beast liv'd, was kill'd with hunting him. 
A many of our bodies shall no doubt 
Find native graves; upon the which, I trust. 
Shall witness five in brass of this day's work: 
And those that leave their valiant bones in France, 
Dying like men, though buried in your dunghills. 
They shall be fam'd; for there the sun shall greet 

them, 100 

And draw their honours reeking up to heaven; 
Leaving their earthly parts to choke your clime. 
The smell whereof shall breed a plague in France. 
Mark then abounding valour in our English, 
That, being dead, like to the bullet's grazing. 
Break out into a second course of mischief. 
Killing in relapse of mortality. 



Scene III] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 115 

Let me speak proudly: tell the constable 
We are but warriors for the working-day: 
Our gayness and our gilt are all besmirch'd no 

With rainy marching in the painful fields- 
There 's not a piece of feather in our host — 
Good argument, I hope, we will not fly — 
And time hath worn us into slovenry: 
But, by the mass, our hearts are in the trim; 
And my poor soldiers tell me, yet ere night 
They '11 be in fresher robes, or they will pluck 
The gay new coats o'er the French soldiers' heads 
And turn them out of service. If they do this, — 
As, if God please, they shall, — my ransom then 120 

Will soon be levied. Herald, save thou thy labour; 
Come thou no more for ransom, gentle herald; 
They shall have none, I swear, but these my joints; 
Which if they have as I will leave 'em them, 
Shall yield them little, tell the constable. 

Mont. I shall. King Harry. And so fare thee 
well: 
Thou never shalt hear herald any more. [Exit 

K. Hen. I fear thou 'It once more come again for 
ransom. 

Enter York 

York. My lord, most humbly on my knee I beg 
The leading of the vawarcl. 130 

K. Hen. Take it, brave York. — Now, soldiers, 
march away: — 
And how thou pleasest, God, dispose the day! 

[Exeunt 



116 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

Scene IV 

The field of battle 

Alarum. Excursions. Enter Pistol, French 
Soldier, and Boy 

Pist. Yield, cur! 

Fr. Sol. Je pense que vous etes le gentilhomme de 
bonne qualite. 

Pist. Qualtitie calmie custure me! Art thou a 
gentleman? What is thy name? discuss. 

Fr. Sol. Seigneur Dieu! 

Pist. O, Signieur Dew should be a gentleman: — 
Perpend my words, O Signieur Dew, and mark; 
O Signieur Dew, thou diest on point of fox. 
Except, O signieur, thou dost give to me lo 

Egregious ransom. 

Fr. Sol. 0, prennez misericorde! ayez pitie de 
moil 

Pist. Moy shall not serve; I will have forty 
moys; 
Or I will fetch thy rim out at thy throat 
In drops of crimson blood. 

Fr. Sol. Est-il impossible d'echapper la force de 
ton bras? 

Pist. Brass, cur! 
Thou damned and luxurious mountain goat, 20 

Offer'st me brass? 

Fr. Sol. 0, pardonnez moi! 

Pist. Say'st thou me so? is that a ton of moys? 



Scene IV] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 117 

Come hither, boy: ask me this slave in French 
What is his name. 

Boy. Ecoutez; comment Hes-vous appelef 

Fr. Sol. Monsieur le Fer. 

Boy. He says his name is Master Fer. 

Pist. Master Fer! I '11 fer him, and firk him, 
and ferret him : — discuss the same in French unto so 
him. 

Boy. I do not know the French for fer, and 
ferret, and firk. 

Pist. Bid him prepare, for I will cut his throat. 

Fr. Sol. Que dit-il, monsieur? 

Boy. II me commande a vous dire que vous faites 
vous pret; car ce soldat id est dispose tout a cette 
heure de couper voire gorge. 

Pist. Owy, cuppele gorge, permafoy, 
Peasant, unless thou give me crowns, brave crowns: 40 
Or mangled shalt thou be by this my sword. 

Fr. Sol. 0, je vous supplie, pour V amour de Dieu, 
me pardonner! Je suis gentilhomme de bonne maison; 
gardez ma vie, et je vous donnerai deux cent ecus. 

Pist. What are his words? 

Boy. He prays you to save his life: he is a gen- 
tleman of a good house; and for his ransom he will 
give you two hundred crowns. 

Pist. Tell him my fury shall abate, and I 
The crowns will take. 50 

Fr. Sol. Petit monsieur, que dit-ilf 

Boy. Encore quHl est contre son jurement de par- 
donner aucun prisonnier; neanmoins, pour les ecu^ 



118 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

que vous Vavez promts, il est content de vous donner la 
liberie, le franchisement. 

Fr. Sol. Sur mes genoux je vous donne niille re- 
mercimens; et je m'estime heureux que je suis tomhe 
entre les mains d'un chevalier, je pense, le plus brave, 
vaillant, et ires distingue seigneur d'Angleterre. 

Pist. Expound unto me, boy. eo 

Boy. He gives you, upon his knees, a thousand 
thanks: and he esteems himself happy that he 
hath fallen into the hands of one, as he thinks, the 
most brave, valorous, and thrice-worthy signieur 
of England. 

Pist. As I suck blood, I will some mercy show. — 
Follow me. 

Boij. Suivez-vous le grand capitaine. [Exeunt 
Pistol and French Soldier] I did never know so 
full a voice issue from so empty a heart: but the 70 
saying is true, 'The empty vessel makes the greatest 
sound.' Bardolph and Nym had ten times more 
valour than this roaring devil i' the old play, that 
every one may pare his nails with a wooden dagger; 
and they are both hanged; and so would this be, 
if he durst steal any thing adventurously. I must 
stay with the lackeys, with the luggage of our camp : 
the French might have a good prey of us, if he knew 
of it; for there is none to guard it but boj^s. [Exit 



Scene V] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 119 

Scene V 

Another part cf the field 

Alarums. Enter Constable, Orleans, Bourbon, 
Dauphin, and Rambures 

Con. diable! 

Orl. Seigneur! le jour est perdu, tout est perdu! 

Dau. Mort de ma vie! all is confounded, all! 
Reproach and everlasting shame 
Sits mocking in our plumes. — mechante fortune! 
Do not run away. [A short alarum 

Con. Why, all our ranks are broke. 

Dau. perdurable shame! let 's stab ourselves. 
Be these the wretches that we play'd at dice for? 

Orl. Is this the king we sent to for his ransom? 

Bour. Shame, and eternal shame, nothing but 
shame! lo 

Let 's die in honour: once more back again; 
And he that will not follow Bourbon now, 
Let him go hence. 

Con. Disorder, that hath spoil'd us, friend us now! 
Let us on heaps go offer up our lives. 

Orl. We are enow yet living in the field 
To smother up the English in our throngs, 
If any order might be thought upon. 

Bour. The devil take order now! I '11 to the 
throng; 
Let life be short; else shame will be too long. 20 

[Exeunt 



120 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

Scene VI 

Another part of the field 

Alarum. Enter King Henry and his 
train, with prisoners 

K. Hen. Well have we done, thrice-valiant coun- 
trymen: 
But all *s not done; yet keep the French the field. 

Exe. The Duke of York commends him to your 
majesty. 

K. Hen. Lives he, good uncle? thrice within this 
hour 
I saw him down; thrice up again, and fighting; 
From helmet to the spur all blood he was. 

Exe. In which array, brave soldier, doth he lie 
Larding the plain: and by his bloody side, 
Yoke-fellow to his honour-owing wounds, 
The noble Earl of Suffolk also lies. lo 

Suffolk first died: and York, all haggled over. 
Comes to him, where in gore he lay insteep'd. 
And takes him by the beard, kisses the gashes 
That bloodily did yawn upon his face. 
And cries aloud, 'Tarry, dear cousin Suffolk! ■ 

My soul shall thine keep company to heaven; 
Tarry, sweet soul, for mine, then fly a-breast. 
As in this glorious and well-foughten field 
We kept together in our chivalry!' 

Upon these words I came, and cheer'd him up: - 20 

He smil'd me in the face, raught me his hand. 



Scene VII] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 121 

And with a feeble gripe, says, ' Dear my lord, 

Commend my service to my sovereign.' 

So did he turn, and over Suffolk's neck 

He threw his wounded arm, and kiss'd his lips; 

And so, espous'd to death, with blood he seal'd 

A testament of noble-ending love. 

The pretty and sweet manner of it forc'd 

Those waters from me which I would have stopp'd; 

But I had not so much of man in me, 

And all my mother came into mine eyes, 

And gave me up to tears. 

K. Hen. I blame you not; 

For, hearing this, I must perforce compound 
With mistful eyes, or they will issue too. — 

[Alarum 
But, hark! what new alarum is this same? 
The French have reinforc'd their scatter'd men: 
Then every soldier kill his prisoners; 
Give the word through. [Exeunt 

Scene VII 

Another part of the field 

Enter Fluellen and Gower 

Flu. Kill the poys and the luggage! 't is expressly 

against the law of arms: 't is as arrant a piece of 

knavery, mark you now, as can be offer't; in your 

conscience now, is it not? 

Gow. 'T is certain there 's not a boy left ahve; 
and the cowardly rascals that ran from the battle 



122 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

ha' done this slaughter: besides, they have burned and 
carried away all that was in the king's tent; wherefore 
the king, most worthily, hath caused every soldier to 
cut his prisoner's throat. O, 't is a gallant king! lo 

Flu. Ay, he was porn at Monmouth, Captain 
"^^ /tjrower. What call you the town's name where 
' Alexander the Pig was porn? 

Gow. Alexander the Great. 

Flu. Why, I pray you, is not pig great? The 
pig, or the great, or the mighty, or the huge, or 
the magnanimous are all one reckonings, save the 
phrase is a little variations. 

Gow. I thinlc Alexander the Great was born in 
Macedon; his father was called Phihp of Macedon, 20 
as I take it. 

Flu. I think it is in Macedon where Alexander 
is porn. I tell you, captain, if you look in the maps 
of the 'orld, I warrant you sail find, in the com- 
parisons between Macedon and Monmouth, that 
the situations, look you, is both alike. There is a 
river in Macedon; and there is also moreover a 
river at Monmouth: it is called Wye at Monmouth; 
but it is out of my prains what is the name of the 
other river; but 't is all one; 't is alike as my fingers so 
is to my fingers, and there is salmons in both. If 
you mark Alexander's life well, Harry of Monmouth's 
life is come after it indifferent well; for there is figures 
in all things. Alexander, God knows, and you know, 
in his rages, and his furies, and his wraths, and his 
cholers, and his moods, and his displeasures, and 



Scene VII] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 123 

his indignations, and also being a little intoxicates 
in his prains, did, in his ales and his angers, look 
you, kill his best friend, Cleitus. 

Gow. Our king is not like him in that; he never 4C 
killed any of his friends. 

Flu. It is not well done, mark you now, to take 
the tales out of my mouth, ere it is made and fin- 
ished. I speak but in the figures and comparisons 
of it: as Alexander killed his friend Cleitus, being 
in his ales and his cups; so also Harry Monmouth, 
being in his right wits and his good judgements, 
turned away the fat knight with the great belly- 
doublet: he was full of jests, and gipes, and knaver- 
ies, and mocks; I have forgot his name. 50 

Gow. Sir John Falstaff. 

Flu. That is he: I '11 tell you there is good men 
porn at Monmouth. 

Gow. Here comes his majesty. 

Alarurn. Enter King Henry a?id forces; War- 
wick, Gloucester, Exeter, with prisoners. 
Flourish 

K. Hen. I was not angry since I came to France 
Until this instant. Take a trumpet, herald; 
Ride thou unto the horsemen on yond hill : 
If they will fight with us, bid them come down, 
Or void the field; they do offend our sight: 
If they '11 do neither, we will come to them, 60 

And make them skirr away, as swift as stones 
Enforced from the old Assyrian slings: 



124 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

Besides, we '11 cut the throats of those we have; 
And not a man of them that we shall take 
Shall taste our mercy. Go and tell them so. 

Enter Montjoy 

Exe. Here comes the herald of the French, my 
liege. 

Glo. His eyes are humbler than they us'd to be. 

K. Hen. How now! what means this, herald? 
know'st thou not 
That I have fin'd these bones of mine for ransom? 
Com'st thou again for ransom? 

Mont. No, great king: 70 

I come to thee for charitable license. 
That we may wander o'er this bloody field 
To book our dead, and then to bury them; 
To sort our nobles from our common men. 
For many of our princes — woe the while! — 
Lie drown'd and soak'd in mercenary blood; 
So do our vulgar drench their peasant limbs 
In blood of princes; and their wounded steeds 
Fret fetlock deep in gore, and with wild rage 
Yerk out their armed heels at their dead masters, 80 

Killing them twice. 0, give us leave, great king, 
To view the field in safety, and dispose 
Of their dead bodies! 

K. Hen. I tell thee truly, herald, 

I know not if the day be ours or no; 
For yet a many of your horsemen peer 
And gallop o'er the field. 



Scene VII] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 125 

Mont. The day is yours. 

K. Hen. Praised be God, and not our strength, 
for it! 
What is this castle call'd that stands hard by? 

Mont. They call it Agincourt. 

K. Hen. Then call we this the field of Agincourt, 90 
Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus. 

Flu. Your grandfather of famous memory, an 't 
please your majesty, and your great-uncle Edward 
the Plack Prince of Wales, as I have read in the 
chronicles, fought a most prave pattle here in 
France. 

K. Hen. They did, Fluellen. 

Flu. Your majesty says very true: if your 
majesties is remembered of it, the Welshmen did 
good service in a garden where leeks did grow, 100 
wearing leeks in their Monmouth caps; which, 
your majesty know, to this hour is an honourable 
badge of the service; and I do believe your majesty 
takes no scorn to wear the leek upon Saint Tavy's 
day. 

K. Hen. I wear it for a memorable honour; 
For I am Welsh, you know, good countryman. 

Flu. All the water in Wye cannot wash your 
majesty's Welsh plood out of your pody, I can tell 
you that: God pless it and preserve it, as long as 110 
it pleases his grace, and his majesty too! 

K. Hen. Thanks, good my countryman. 

Flu. By Jeshu, I am your majesty's countryman, 
I care not who know it; I will confess it to all the 



126 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

'orld: I need not be ashamed of your majesty, 
praised be God, so long as your majesty is an honest 
man. 
K. Hen. God keep me so ! — 

Enter Williams 

Our heralds go with him; 
Bring me just notice of the numbers dead 
On both our parts. Call yonder fellow hither. 120 

[Points to Williams. Exeunt Heralds with 

MONTJOY 

Exe. Soldier, you must come to the king. 

K. Hen. Soldier, why wearest thou that glove in 
thy cap? 

Will. An 't please your majesty, 't is the gauge of 
one that I should fight withal, if he be alive. 

K. Hen. An Englishman? 

Will. An 't please your majesty, a rascal that 
swaggered with me last night; who, if 'a live, and 
ever dare to challenge this glove, I have sworn to 
take him a box o' th' ear: or, if I can see my glove 130 
in his cap, which he swore, as he was a soldier, he 
would wear if alive, I will strike it out soundly. 

K. Hen. What think you. Captain Fluellen? is 
it fit this soldier keep his oath? 

Flu. He is a craven and a villain else, an 't please 
your majesty, in my conscience. 

K. Hen. It may be his enemy is a gentleman of 
great sort, quite from the answer cf his degree. 

Flu. Though he be as good a gentleman as the 



Scene VII] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 127 

devil is, as Lucifer and Bglzebub himself, it is neces- ho 
sary, look your grace, that he keep his vow and his 
oath: if he be perjured, see you now, his reputation 
is as arrant a villain and a Jack-sauce, as ever his 
black shoe trod upon God's ground and his earth, in 
my conscience, la. 

K. Hen. Then keep thy vow, sirrah, when thou 
meetest the fellow. 

Will. So I will, my liege, as I live. 

K. Hen. Who servest thou under? 

Will. Under Captain Gower, my liege. 150 

Flu. Gower is a good captain; and is good 
knowledge and literatured in the wars. 

K. Hen. Call him hither to me, soldier. 

Will. I will, my liege. [Exit 

K. Hen. Here, Fluellen; wear thou this favour 
for me, and stick it in thy cap: when Alengon and 
myself were down together, I plucked this glove 
from his helm: if any man challenge this, he is a 
friend to Alengon and an enemy to our person; if 
thou encounter any such, apprehend him, an thou leo 
dost me love. 

Flu. Your grace doo's me as great honours as 
can be desired in the hearts of his subjects: I would 
fain see the man, that has but two legs, that shall 
find himself aggriefed at this glove, that is all; but 
I would fain see it once, an please God of his grace 
that I might see. 

K. Hen. Knowest thou Gower? 

Flu. He is my dear friend, an 't please you. 



128 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

K. Hen. Pray thee, go seek him, and bring him 170 

to my tent. 

Flu. I will fetch him. [Exit 

K. Hen. My Lord of Warwick, and my brother 
Gloucester, 

Follow Fluellen closely at the heels: ■ 

The glove which I have given him for a favour 

May haply purchase him a box o' th' ear; 

It is the soldier's; I by bargain should 

Wear it myself. Follow, good cousin Warwick. 

If that the soldier strike him, as I judge 

By his blunt bearing he will keep his word, iso 

Some sudden mischief may arise of it; 

For I do know Fluellen valiant, 

And, touched with choler, hot as gunpowder, 

And quickly will return an injury: 

Follow, and see there be no harm between them. 

Go you with me, uncle of Exeter. [Exeunt 



Scene VIII 
Before King Henry's pavilion 
Enter Gower and Williams 
Will. I warrant it is to knight you, captain. 

Enter Fluellen 

Flu. God's will and his pleasure, captain, I be- 
seech you now, come apace to the king: there is 
more good toward you, peradventure, than is in 
your knowledge to dream of. 



Scene VIII] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 129 

Will. Sir, know you this glove? 

Flu. Know the glove? I know the glove is a 
glove. 

Will. I know this; and thus I challenge it. 

[Strikes him 

Flu. 'Splood, an arrant traitor as any is in the lo 
universal world, or in France, or in England! 

Gow. How now, sir! you villain! 

Will. Do you think I '11 be forsworn? 

Flu. Stand away. Captain Gower; I will give 
treason his payment into plows, I warrant you. 

Will. I am no traitor. 

Flu. That 's a lie in thy throat. I charge you in 
his majesty's name, apprehend him; he 's a friend 
of the Duke Alengon's. 

Enter Warw^ick and Gloucester 

War. How now, how now! what 's the matter? 20 
Flu. My Lord of Warwick, here is — praised be 
God for it! — a most contagious treason come to 
light, look you, as you shall desire in a summer's 
day. Here is his majesty. 

Enter King Henry a7id Exeter 

K. Hen. How now! what 's the matter? 

Flu. My liege, here is a villain and a traitor, that, 
look your grace, has struck the glove which your 
majesty is take out of the helmet of Alengon. 

Will. My liege, this was my glove; here is the 
fellow of it; and he that I gave it to in change 30 



130 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

promised to wear it in his cap; I promised to strike 
him, if he did: I met this man with my glove in 
his cap, and I have been as good as my word. 

Flu. Your majesty hear now, saving your 
majesty's manhood, what an arrant, rascally, beg- 
garly, lousy knave it is: I hope your majesty is pear 
me testimony, and witness, and will avouchment, 
that this is the glove of Alengon, that your majesty 
is give me, in your conscience, now. 

K. Hen. Give me thy glove, soldier: look, here 40 
is the fellow of it. 

'T was I, indeed, thou promised'st to strike; 
And thou hast given me most bitter terms. 

Flu. An please your majesty, let his neck answer 
for it, if there is any martial law in the world. 

K. Hen. How canst thou make me satisfaction? 

Will. All offences, my lord, come from the heart: 
never came any from mine that might offend your 
majesty. 

K. Hen. It was ourself thou didst abuse. 50 

Will. Your majesty came not hke yourself: you 
appeared to me but as a common man: witness the 
night, your garments, your lowHness; and what 
your highness suffered under that shape, I beseech 
you take it for your own fault and not mine: for, 
had you been as I took you for, I made no offence; 
therefore, I beseech your highness, pardon me. 

K. Hen. Here, uncle Exeter, fill this glove with 
crowns. 
And give it to this fellow. Keep it, fellow; 



Scene VIII] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 131 

And wear it for an honour in thy cap 6o 

Till I do challenge it. — Give him the crowns: — 
And, captain, you must needs be friends with him. 

Flu. By this day and this light, the fellow has 
mettle enough in his belly. — Hold, there is twelve 
pence for you; and I pray you to serve God, and 
keep you out of prawls, and prabbles, and quarrels, 
and dissensions, and, I warrant you, it is the better 
for you. 

Will. I will none of your money. 

Flu. It is with a good will; I can tell you, it 7o 
will serve you to mend your shoes: come, where- 
fore should you be so pashful? your shoes is not 
so good: 't is a good silling, I warrant you, or I will 
change it. 

Enter an English Herald 

K. Hen. Now, herald, are the dead number'd? 
Her. Here is the number of the slaughtered 
French. [Delivers a payer 

K. Hen. What prisoners of good sort are taken, 

uncle? 
Exe. Charles Duke of Orleans, nephew to the 
king; 
John Duke of Bourbon, and Lord Bouciqualt : 
Of other lords and barons, knights and squires, so 

Full fifteen hundred, besides common men. 

K. Hen. This note doth tell me of ten thousand 
French 
That in the field lie slain: of princes in this number. 



132 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act IV 

And nobles bearing banners, there lie dead 

One hundred twenty-six: added to these, 

Of knights, esquires, and gallant gentlemen. 

Eight thousand and four hundred; of the which, 

Five hundred were but yesterday dubb'd knights; 

So that, in these ten thousand they have lost. 

There are but sixteen hundred mercenaries; 90 

The rest are princes, barons, lords, knights, squires. 

And gentlemen of blood and quality. 

The names of those their nobles that lie dead: 

Charles Delabreth, high constable of France; 

Jaques of Chatillon, admiral of France; 

The master of the cross-bows, Lord Rambures; 

Great master of France, the brave Sir Guichard 

Dolphin; 
John Duke of Alengon; Anthony Duke of Brabant, 
The brother to the Duke of Burgundy; 
And Edward Duke of Bar: of lusty earls, 100 

Grandpre and Roussi, Fauconberg and Foix, 
Beaumont and Marie, Vaudemont and Lestrale. 
Here was a royal fellowship of death ! 
Where is the number of our English dead? 

[Herald presents another paper 
Edward the Duke of York, the Earl of Suffolk, 
Sir Richard Ketly, Davy Gam, esquire: 
None else of name; and of all other men. 
But five-and-twenty. O God, thy arm was here; 
And not to us, but to thy arm alone, 
Ascribe we all! When, without stratagem, no 

But in plain shock and even play of battle, 



Scene VIII] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 133 

Was ever known so great and little loss, 
On one part and on th' other? Take it, God, 
■For it is none but thine! 

Exe. 'T is wonderful! 

K. Hen. Come, go we in procession to the village: 
And be it death proclaimed through our host 
To boast of this, or take that praise from God 
Which is his only. 

Flu. Is it not lawful, an 't please your majest}^, 
to tell how many is killed? 120 

K. Hen. Yes, captain; but with this acknowledge- 
ment. 
That God fought for us. 

Flu. Yes, my conscience, he did us great good. 

K. Hen. Do we all holy rites; 
Let there be sung Non Nobis and Te Deum; 
The dead with charity enclosed in clay; 
And then to Calais; and to England then. 
Where ne'er from France arriv'd more happy men. 

[Exeunt 



ACT V 

Prologue 

Enter Chorus 

Chor. Vouchsafe to those that have not read the 
story, 
That I may prompt them : and of such as have, 
I humbly pray them to admit the excuse 
Of time, of numbers, and due course of things, 
Which cannot in their huge and proper Hfe 
Be here presented. Now we bear the king 
Toward Calais: grant him there; there seen, 
Heave him away upon your winged thoughts 
Athwart the sea. Behold, the English beach 
Pales in the flood with men, with wives, and boys, lo 
Whose shouts and claps out-voice the deepmouth'd 

sea, 
Which, hke a mighty whiffler 'fore the king, 
Seems to prepare his way: so let him land, 
And solemnly see him set on to London. 
So swift a pace hath thought that even now 
You may imagine him upon Blackheath: 
Where that his lords desire him to have borne 
His bruised helmet and his bended sword 
Before him through the city; he forbids it. 
Being free from vainness and self-glorious pride; 20 

134 



Prologue] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 135 

Giving full trophy, signal, and ostent, 
Quite from himself to God. But now behold, 
In the quick forge and working-house of thought, 
How London doth pour out her citizens! 
The mayor and all his brethren in best sort, 
Like to the senators of the antique Rome, 
With the plebeians swarming at their heels. 
Go forth and fetch their conquering Csesar in: 
As, by a lower but loving likelihood. 
Were now the general of our gracious empress, so 

As in good time he may, from Ireland coming, 
Bringing rebellion broached on his sword. 
How many would the peaceful city quit, 
To welcome him! much more, and much more cause, 
Did they this Harry. Now in London place him; 
As yet the lamentation of the French 
Invites the King of England's stay at home; 
The emperor 's coming in behalf of France, 
To order peace between them; and omit 
All the occurrences, whatever chanc'd, 40 

Till Harry's back-return again to France: 
There must we bring him; and myself have play'd 
The interim, by remembering you 't is past. 
Then brook abridgement; and your eyes advance, 
After your thoughts, straight back again to France. 

[Exit 



136 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act V 

Scene I 

France. The English camp 

Enter Fluellen and Gower 

Gow. Nay, that 's right; but why wear you your 
leek to-day? Saint Davy's day is past. 

Flu. There is occasions and causes why and 
wherefore in all things. I will tell you, asse my 
friend. Captain Gower. The rascally, scald, beg- 
garly, lousy, pragging knave. Pistol, which you and 
yourself and all the world know to be no petter 
than a fellow, look you now, of no merits, — he is 
come to me and prings me pread and salt yester- 
day, look you, and bid me eat my leek: it was in lo 
a place where I could not breed no contention with 
him; but I will be so bold as to wear it in my cap 
till I see him once again, and then I will tell him a 
little piece of my desires. 

Enter Pistol 

Gow. Why, here he comes, swelling like ia turkey- 
cock. 

Flu. 'T is no matter for his swellings nor his 
turkey-cocks. God pless you, Aunchient Pistol! 
you scurvy, lousy knave, God pless you! 

Pist. Ha! art thou bedlam? dost thou thirst, 20 
base Trojan, 
To have me fold up Parca's fatal web? 
Hence! I am qualmish at the smell of leek. 



Scene I] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 137 

Flu. I peseech you heartily, scurvy, lousy knave, 
at my desires, and my requests, and my petitions, 
to eat, look you, this leek; because, look you, you 
do not love it, nor your affections, and your appe- 
tites, and your digestions, doo's not agree with it, 
I would desire you to eat it. 

Pist. Not for Cadwallader and all his goats. 

Flu. There is one goat for you. [Strikes Mm] so 
Will you be so good, scald knave, as eat it? 

Pist. Base Trojan, thou shalt die. 

Flu. You say very true, scald knave, when God's 
will is: I will desire you to live in the mean time, 
and eat your victuals; come, there is sauce for it. 
[Strikes him] You called me yesterday mountain- 
squire; but I will make you to-day a squire of low 
degree. I pray you, fall to; if you can mock a leek, 
you can eat a leek. 

Gow. Enough, captain; you have astonished him. 4o 

Flu. I say, I will make him eat some part of my 
leek, or I will peat his pate four days. — Bite, I 
pray you; it is good for your green wound and your 
ploody coxcomb. 

Pist. Must I bite? 

Flu. Yes, certainly, and out of doubt and out of 
question too and ambiguities. 

Pist. By this leek, I will most horribly revenge; 
I eat and eat, I swear — 

Flu. Eat, I pray you: will you have some more 50 
sauce to your leek? there is not enough leek to 
swear by. 



138 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act V 

Pist. Quiet thy cudgel; thou dost see I eat. 

Flu. Much good do you, scald knave, heartily. 
Nay, pray you, throw none away; the skin is good 
for your broken coxcomb. When you take occa- 
sions to see leeks hereafter, I pray you, mock at 'em; 
that is all. 

Pist. Good. 

Flu. Ay, leeks is good: hold you, there is a groat eo 
to heal your pate. 

Pist. Me a groat! 

Flu. Yes, verily and in truth, you shall take it; 
or I have another leek in my pocket, which you 
shall eat. 

Pist. I take thy groat in earnest of revenge. 

Flu. If I owe you any thing, I will pay you in 
cudgels; you shall be a woodmonger, and buy noth- 
ing of me but cudgelg. God b' wi' you, and keep 
you, and heal your pate. [Exit to 

Pist. All hell shall stir for this. 

Gow. Go, go; you are a counterfeit cowardly 
knave. Will you mock at an ancient tradition — 
begun upon an honourable respect, and worn as a 
memorable trophy of predeceased valour — and dare 
not avouch in your deeds any of your words? I have 
seen you gleeking and galling at this gentleman twice 
or thrice. You thought, because he could not speak 
English in the native garb, he could not therefore 
handle an English cudgel : you find it otherwise ; and so 
henceforth let a Welsh correction teach you a good 
English condition. Fare ye well. [Exit 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 139 

Pist. Doth Fortune play the huswife with me now? 
News have I that my Doll is dead i' the spital; 
And there my rendezvous is quite cut off. 
Old I do wax; and from my weary limbs 
Honour is cudgell'd. Well, bawd I '11 turn, 
And something lean to cutpurse of quick hand. 
To England will I steal, and there I '11 steal: 
And patches will I get unto these cudgell'd scars, 90 

And swear I got them in the Gallia wars. [Exit 

Scene II 
France. A royal palace 

Enter at one door, King Henry, Exeter, Bedford, 
Gloucester, Warwick, Westmoreland, and 
other Lords; at another, the French King, Queen 
Isabel, the Princess Katharine, Alice, and 
other Ladies, the Duke of Burgundy, and his 
train. 

K. Hen. Peace to this meeting, wherefore we 
are met! 

Unto our brother France, and to our sister, 

Health and fair time of day; joy and good wishes 

To our most fair and princely cousin Katharine; 

And, as a branch and member of this royalty, 

By whom this great assembly is contriv'd. 

We do salute you, Duke of Burgundy; 

And, princes French, and peers, health to you all! 
Fr. King. Right joyous are we to behold your 
face, 



140 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act V 

Most worthy brother England; fairly met: lo 

So are you, princes English, every one. 

Q. Isa. So happy be the issue, brother England, 
Of this good day and of this gracious meeting, 
As we are now glad to behold your eyes; 
Your eyes, which hitherto have borne in them 
Against the French, that met them in their bent, 
The fatal balls of murdering basilisks: 
The venom of such looks, we fairly hope. 
Have lost their quality; and that this day 
Shall change all griefs and quarrels into love. 20 

K. Hen. To cry amen to that, thus we appear. 

Q. Isa. You English princes all, I do salute 
you. 

Bur, My duty to you both, on equal love, 
Great Kings of France and England! That I have 

labour'd 
With all my wits, my pains, and strong endeavours 
To bring your most imperial majesties 
Unto this bar and royal interview, 
Your mightiness on both parts best can witness. 
Since then my office hath so far prevail'd 
That, face to face, and royal eye to eye, 
You have congreeted, let it not disgrace me, 
If I demand, before this royal view. 
What rub or what impediment there is, 
Why that the naked, poor, and mangled Peace, 
Dear nurse of arts, plenties, and joyful births. 
Should not, in this best garden of the world, 
Our fertile France, put up her lovely visage? 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 141 

Alas, she hath from France too long been chas'd! 

And all her husbandry doth lie on heaps, 

Corrupting in it own fertility. 40 

Her vine, the merry cheerer of the heart, 

Unpruned dies: her hedges even-pleach'd. 

Like prisoners wildly overgrown with hair, 

Put forth disorder'd twigs; her fallow leas 

The darnel, hemlock, and rank fumitory 

Doth root upon; while that the coulter rusts 

That should deracinate such savagery: 

The even mead, that erst brought sweetly forth 

The freckled cowslip, burnet, and green clover, 

Wanting the scythe, all uncorrected, rank, 50 

Conceives by idleness; and nothing teems 

But hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies, burs, 

Losing both beauty and utility: 

And all our vineyards, fallows, meads, and hedges, 

Defective in their natures, grow to wildness. 

Even so our houses and ourselves and children 

Have lost, or do not learn for want of time. 

The sciences that should become our country; 

But grow like savages — as soldiers will 

That nothing do but meditate on blood — 60 

To swearing and stern looks, diffus'd attire. 

And every thing that seems unnatural. 

Which to reduce into our former favour, 

You are assembled; and my speech entreats 

That I may know the let, why gentle Peace 

Should not expel these inconveniences. 

And bless us with her former qualities. 



142 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act V 

K. Hen. If, Duke of Burgundy, you would the 
peace. 
Whose want gives growth to th' imperfections 
Which you have cited, you must buy that peace 70 

With full accord to all our just demands; 
Whose tenors and particular effects 
You have, enschedul'd briefly, in your hands. 

Bur. The king hath heard them; to the -which, 
as yet. 
There is no answer made. 

K. Hen. Well then, the peace, 

Which you before so urg'd, lies in his answer. 

Fr. King. I have but with a cursorary eye 
O'erglanc'd the articles: pleaseth your grace 
To appoint some of your council presently 
To sit with us once more, with better heed so 

To re-survey them, we will suddenly 
Pass our accept and preemptory answer. 

K. Hen. Brother, we shall. Go, uncle Exeter, 
And brother Clarence, and you, brother Gloucester, 
Warwick, and Huntingdon, — go with the king: 
And take with you free power to ratify. 
Augment, or alter, as your wisdoms best 
Shall see advantageable for our dignity. 
Any thing in or out of our demands; 
And we '11 consign thereto. Will you, fair sister, 90 

Go with the princes, or stay here with us? 

Q. Isa. Our gracious brother, I \vill go with them; 
Haply a woman's voice may do some good. 
When articles too nicely urg'd be stood on. 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 143 

K. Hen. Yet leave our cousin Katharine here 
with us; 
She is our capital demand, comprised 
Within the fore rank of our articles. 

Q. Isa. She hath good leave. 

[Exeunt all except Henry, Katharine, and Alice 

K. Hen. Fair Katharine, and most fair! 

Will you vouchsafe to teach a soldier terms 
Such as will enter at a lady's ear loo 

And plead his love-suit to her gentle heart? 

Kath. Your majesty shall mock at me; I cannot 
speak your England. 

K. Hen. fair Katharine, if you will love me 
soundly with your French heart, I will be glad to 
hear you confess it brokenly with your English 
tongue. Do you like me, Kate? 

Kath. Pardonnez-moi, I cannot tell wat is ' like me.' 

K. Hen. An angel is like you, Kate, and you are 
like an angel. no 

Kath. Que dit-ilf que je suis semblable a les angesf 

Alice. Out, vraiment, sauf votre grace, ainsi dit-il. 

K. Hen. I said so, dear Katharine; and I must 
not blush to affirm it. 

Kath. hon Dieu! les langues des homines sont . 
pleines de tromperies. 

K. Hen. What says she, fair one? that the 
tongues of men are full of deceits? 

Alice. Oui; dat de tongues of de mans is be full 
of deceits: dat is de princess. 120 

K. Hen. The princess is the better English- 



144 KING IILNRY TEE FIFTH [Act V 

woman. V faith, Kate, my wooing is fit for thy un- 
derstanding: I am glad thou canst speak no better 
EngHsh; for, if thou couldst, thou wouldst find me 
such a plain king, that thou wouldst think I had 
sold my farm to buy my crown. I know no wsljs 
to mince it in love, but directly to say, ' I love you ' : 
then, if you urge me further than to say, *Do you 
in faith? ' I wear out my suit. Give me your answer: 
i' faith, do; and so clap hands and a bargain: how 
say you, lady? 

Kath. Sauf voire honneur, me understand well. 

K. Hen. Marry, if you would put me to verses 
or to dance for your sake, Kate, why you undid 
me: for the one, I have neither words nor measure; 
and for the other, I have no strength in measure, 
yet a reasonable measure in strength. If I could 
win a lady at leap-frog, or by vaulting into my 
saddle with my armour on my back, under the cor- 
rection of bragging be it spoken, I should quickly 
leap into a wife. Or, if I might buffet for my love, 
or bound my horse for her favours, I could lay on 
like a butcher, and sit like a jack-an-apes, never 
off. But, before God, Kate, I cannot look greenly, 
nor gasp out my eloquence, nor I have no cunning 
in protestation; only downright oaths, which I 
never use till urged, nor never break for urging. If 
thou canst love a fellow of this temper, Kate, whose 
face is not worth sun-burning, that never looks in 
his glass for love of any thing he sees there, let thine 
eye be thy cook. I speak to thee plain soldier: if 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 145 

thou canst love me for this, take me; if not, to say 
to thee that I shall die, is true: but for thy love, by 
the Lord, no; yet I love thee too. And while thou 
livest, dear Kate, take a fellow of plain and un- 
coined constancy; for he perforce must do thee 
right, because he hath not the gift to woo in other 
places: for these fellows of infinite tongue, that can 
rhyme themselves into ladies' favours, they do 
always reason themselves out again. What! a ico 
speaker is but a prater; a rhyme is but a ballad. 
A good leg will fall; a straight back will stoop; a 
black beard will turn white; a curled pate will grow 
bald; a fair face will wither; a full eye will wax 
hollow: but a good heart, Kate, is the sun and the 
m3on; or rather, the sun and not the moon; for it 
shines bright and never changes, but keeps his course 
truly. If thou would have such a one, take me : and 
take me, take a soldier; take a soldier, take a king. 
And what sayest thou then to my love? speak, my 170 
fair, and fairly, I pray thee. 

Kath. Is it possible dat I sould love de enemy of 
France? 

K. Hen. No, it is not possible you should love 
the enemy of France, Kate; but, in loving me, you 
should love the friend of France; for I love France 
so well that I will not part with a village of it; I 
will have it all mine: and, Kate, when France is 
mine and I am yours, then yours is France and you 
are mine. iso 

Kath. I cannot tell wat is dat. 



146 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act V 

K. Hen. No, Kate? I ^vill tell thee in French; 
which I am sure will hang upon my tongue like a 
new-married wife about her husband's neck, hardly 
to be shook off. Je quand sur le possession de France, 
et quand vous avez le possession de moi (let me see, 
what then? Saint Denis be my speed !) — done voire 
est France, et vous etes mienne. It is as easy for me, 
Kate, to conquer the kingdom, as to speak so much 
more French: I shall never move thee in French, i9o 
unless it be to laugh at me. 

Kath. Sauf votre honneur, le Frangois que vous 
parlez, il est meilleur que VAnglois lequel je parte. 

K. Hen. No, faith, is 't not, Kate: but thy 
speaking of my tongue, and I thine, most truly- 
falsely, must needs be granted to be much at one. 
But, Kate, dost thou understand thus much Eng- 
hsh, canst thou love me? 

Kath. I cannot tell. 

K. Hen. Can any of your neighbours tell, Kate? 200 
I '11 ask them. Come, I know thou lovest me: and 
at night, when you come into your closet, you '11 
question this geiltlewoman about me; and I know, 
Kate, you will to her dispraise those parts in me 
that you love with your heart; but, good Kate, 
mock me mercifully; the rather, gentle princess, 
because I love thee cruelly. How answer you, la 
plus belle Katharine du monde, nion tres cher et divin 



Kath. Your majeste 'ave fausse French enough to 210 
deceive de most sage demoiselle dat is en France. 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 147 

K. Hen. Now, fie upon my false French! By 
mine honour, in true English, I love thee, Kate; by 
which honour, I dare not swear thou lovest me; yet 
my blood begins to flatter me that thou dost, not- 
withstanding the poor and untempering effect of 
my visage. I was created with a stubborn outside, 
with an aspect of iron, that when I come to woo 
ladies, I fright them. But, in faith, Kate, the elder 
I wax, the better I shall appear: my comfort is, 220 
that old age, that ill layer-up of beauty, can do no 
more spoil upon my face: thou hast me, if thou 
hast me, at the worst; and thou shalt wear me, if 
thou wear me, better and better. And therefore tell 
me, most fair Katharine, will you have me? Put off 
your maiden blushes; avouch the thoughts of your 
heart with the looks of an empress; take me by the 
hand, and say, 'Harry of England, I am thine': 
which word thou shalt no sooner bless mine ear 
withal, but I will tell thee aloud, 'England is thine, 230 
Ireland is thine, France is thine, and Henry Plantag* 
enet is thii;Le'; who, though I speak it before his)f 
face, if he be not fellow with the best king, thou ^^ 
shalt find the best king of good fellows. Come, 
your answer in broken music; for thy voice is music, 
and thy English broken: therefore, que'en of all, 
Katharine, break thy mind to me in broken English : 
wilt thou have me? 

Kath. Dat is as it shall please de roi mon pere. 

K. Hen. Nay, it will please him well, Kate; it 240 
shall please him, Kate. 



148 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act V 

Kath. Den it sail also content me. 

K. Hen. Upon that I kiss your hand, and I call 
you my queen. 

Kath. Laissez, mon seigneur, laissez, laissez; ma 
foi, je ne veux point que vous abaissiez voire grandeur 
en haisant la main cVune de voire seigneurie indigne 
serviteur; excusez-moi, je vous supplie, mon ires puis- 
sant seigneur. 

K. Hen. Then I will kiss your lips, Kate. 230 

Kath. Les dames et demoiselles pour eire haisees 
devant leur noces, il n'est pas la coidume de France. 

K. Hen. Madam, my interpreter, what says she? 

Alice. Dat it is not be de fashion pour les ladies 
of France, — I cannot tell wat is haiser en Anglish. 

K. Hen. To kiss. 

Alice. Your majesty entendre bettre que moi. 

K. Hen. It is not a fashion for the maids in 
France to kiss before they are married, would she 
say? 2G0 

Alice. Oui, vraiment. 

K. Hen. O Kate, nice customs curtsy to great 
kings. Dear Kate, you and I cannot be confined 
within the weak list of a country's fashion: we are 
the makers of manners, Kate; and the liberty that 
follows our places stops the mouths of all find- 
faults; as I will do yours, for upholding the nice 
fashion of your country in denying me a kiss; there- 
fore, patiently and yielding. [Kissing her] You 
have witchcraft in your lips, Kate; there is more 270 
eloquence in a sugar touch of them than in the 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 149 

tongues of the French council; and they should 
sooner persuade Harry of England than a general 
petition of monarchs. Here comes your father. 

Re-enter the French King and his Queen, 
Burgundy, and other Lords 

Bur. God save your majesty! my royal cousin, 
teach you our princess English? 

K. Hen. I would have her learn, my fair cousin, 
how perfectly I love her: and that is good English. 

Bur. Is she not apt? 

K. Hen. Our tongue is rough, coz, and my con- 280 
dition is not smooth: so that, having neither the 
voice nor the heart of flattery about me, I cannot 
so conjure up the spirit of love in her, that he will 
appear in his true likeness. 

Bur. Pardon the frankness of my mirth, if I an- 
swer you for that. If you would conjure in her, 
you must make a circle; if conjure up love in her in 
his true likeness, he must appear naked and blind. 
Can you blame her then, being a maid yet rosed 
over with the virgin crimson of modesty, if she deny 290 
the appearance of a naked blind boy? It were, my 
lord, a hard condition for a maid to consign to. 

K. Hen. Yet they do wink and yield, as love is 
blind and enforces. 

Bur. They are then excused, my lord, when they 
see not what they do. 

K. Hen. Then, good my lord, teach your cousin 
to consent winking. 



150 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act V 

Bur. I will wink on her to consent, my lord, if 
you will teach her to know my meaning: for maids, 300 
well summered and warm kept, are like flies at 
Bartholomewtide, blind, though they have their 
eyes. 

K. Hen. This moral ties me over to time and 
a hot summer; and so I shall catch the fly, your 
cousin, in the latter end and she must be bhnd too. 

Bur. As love is, my lord, before it loves. 

K. Hen. It is so: and you may, some of you, 
thank love for my blindness, who cannot see many 
a fair French city for one fair French maid that 310 
stands in my way. 

Fr. King. Yes, my lord, you see them perspec- 
tively, the cities turn'd into a maid; for they are 
girdled with maiden walls that war hath never 
enter'd. 

K. Hen. Shall Kate be my wife? 

Fr. King. So please you. 

K. Hen. I am content; so the maiden cities you 
talk of may wait on her: so the maid that stood in 
the way for my wish shall show me the way to my 320 
will. 

Fr. King. We have consented to all terms of 
reason. 

K. Hen. Is 't so, my lords of England? 

West. The king hath granted every article: 
His daughter first; and then in sequel all. 
According to their firm proposed natures. 

Exe. Only he hath not yet subscribed . this: 



Scene II] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 151 

Where your majesty demands that the King of 
France, having any occasion to write for matter of 330 
grant, shall name your highness in this form and 
with this addition, in French — Notre tres cher fils 
Henri, roi d'Angleterre, Heritier de France; and thus 
in Latin — Prcedarissimns filius noster Henricus, Rex 
Anglice, et hceres Francice. 

Fr. King. Nor this I have not, brother, so denied. 
But your request shall make me let it pass. 

K. Hen. I pray you then, in love and dear alliance, 
Let that one article rank with the rest; 
And thereupon give me your daughter. 340 

Fr. King. Take her, fair son, and from her blood 
raise up 
Issue to me; that the contending kingdoms 
Of France and England, whose very shores look 

pale 
With envy of each other's happiness. 
May cease their hatred; and this dear conjunction 
Plant neighbourhood and Christian-like accord 
In their sweet bosoms, that never war advance 
His bleeding sword 'twixt England and fair France. 

All. Amen! 

K. Hen. Now, welcome, Kate; and bear me wit- 
ness all 350 

That here I kiss her as my sovereign queen. 

[Flourish 
Q. Isa. God, the best maker of all marriages. 
Combine your hearts in one, your realms in one! 
As man and wife, being two, are one in love. 



152 KING HENRY THE FIFTH [Act V 

So be there 'twixt your kingdoms such a spousal, 

That never may ill office, or fell jealousy, 

Which troubles oft the bed of blessed marriage, 

Thrust in between the paction of these kingdoms, 

To make divorce of their incorporate league; 

That English may as French, French Englishmen, seo 

Receive each other! — God speak this Amen! 

All. Amen! 

K. Hen. Prepare we for our marriage; on which 
day, 
My Lord of Burgundy, we '11 take your oath, 
And all the peers', for surety of our leagues. 
Then shall I swear to Kate, and you to me; 
And may our oaths well kept and prosperous be ! 

[Sennet. Exeunt 



Epilogue] KING HENRY THE FIFTH 153 

EPILOGUE 
Enter Chorus 

Chor. Thus far, with rough and all-unable pen, 

Our bending author hath pursued the story: 
In little room confining mighty men, 

Mangling by starts the full course of their glory. 
Small time, but in that small most greatly Uved 

This star of England: Fortune made his sword; 
By which the world's best garden he achiev'd. 

And of it left his son imperial lord. 
Henry the Sixth, in infant bands crown'd King 

Of France and England, did this king succeed; lo 

Whose state so many had the managing, 

That they lost France and made his England 
bleed; 
Which oft our stage hath shown; and, for their 

sake. 
In your fair minds let this acceptance take. [Exit 



NOTES 



The following contractions are used in the notes: Cf. = confer 
(compare); Lit. = literally; A. S. = Anglo-Saxon; Fr. =French; Lat. 
= Latin; M. E.=Middle English; O. Fr.=01d French; C. Ed. = 
Collins's Edition; CI. P. S.= Clarendon Press Series; R. Ed. = 
Rugby Edition. 

PROLOGUE 

The Chorus explains the subject and the action of the play, and 
supplies a narrative of the events which are to be understood as 
occurring during the intervals between the Acts. In the time of 
Shakespeare a chorus was the technical term for the prologue. 

Page 27. 1. A Muse, etc. An inspiring influence. 

2. Invention. Imagination. In Shakespeare it has also these 
meanings: (1) A discovery or invention (the literal meaning); 
(2) a forgery or falsehood; (3) thought, idea; (4) the inventive or 
imaginative faculty. 

4. The swelling scene. The increasing pomp and splendor of 
the scene. 

6. Mars. The Roman god of war. 

7. Leash'd in like hounds. Bound and led hke hounds. 

8. Gentles. Gentlefolks. 

9. Unraised. Not elevated in thought. 

10. Scaffold. Stage. 

11. Object. Representation, spectacle. — Cockpit. The small 
compass of the theater was better suited for a cock-fight than the 
representation of Henry's battles. 

13. This wooden O. The Globe Theatre, where this play was 
perhaps first acted, was in the form of an octagon. It was built 
in 1598 or 1599 by Burbage. 

16. Attest. Represent, certify. 

17. Ciphers to this great accompt. Who are as nothing in 
comparison with the characters who figured in the actual drama. — 
Accompt. Account. 

18. Imaginary forces. Powers of imagination, 

19. Girdle. Compass. 

155 



156 KING HENRY THE FIFTH 

Page 28. 21. Upreared and abutting fronts. High and pro- 
jecting shores. Abut, to border (on), to end. 

22. Narrow ocean. The Enghsh Channel, called in French La 
Manche, from its likeness to a sleeve. (C. Ed.) 

25. Make imaginary puissance. Imagine an armed force. 
Puissance is here a trisyllable. 

30. Turning th' accomplishment, etc. Representing in an hour 
what it took many years to accomplish. 

31. For the which supply. For supplying a narrative of the 
events. 



ACT I 

Scene I 

1. Self. Self-same. 

2. Th' eleventh year, etc. In 1410, when a vigorous attempt 
to strip the church of part of its immense possessions was made by 
the Lollard party under its leader, Sir John Oldcastle, better known 
as Lord Cobham. 

3. Was like [to have passed], and had [would have] indeed, etc. 

4. Scambling. Scrambling, struggling. 

5. Question. Consideration. 

Page 29. 14. Esquires. Attendants on the knights, lit. 
shield bearers. (Lat. scutum, a shield.) 

15. Lazars. Persons afflicted with loathsome disease, espe- 
cially leprosy, like Lazarus in the parable; cf. Luke xvi, 20. 

28. Consideration. Reflection. 

Page 30. 34. A heady currance. A headlong current. 

35. Nor never. Negatives were repeated in early English for 
the sake of emphasis. — Hydra-headed. The Hydra that dwelt 
in a swamp near Lerna in Argos, had nine heads, and no sooner 
had Hercules knocked off one with his club than two new ones 
sprang up in its place. 

43. List. Often in Shakespeare used transitively. 

45. Any cause of policy. Any question of politics. 

46. The Gordian knot. Gordius, king of Phrygia, was origi- 
nally a poor peasant. Being made king, he dedicated his chariot to 
Jupiter, in the acropolis of Gordium. An intricate knot of bark 
fastened the pole to the yoke, and an oracle declared that whoever 
should loose it would rule over the whole of Asia. Alexander the 
Great made short work of the diflSculty by cutting the knot with 
his sword. 

47. Familiar. In Elizabethan English adjectives are freely 
used as adverbs. — That. So is here omitted. 



NOTES: ACT I, SCENE II 157 

48. A chartered libertine. Having a right or charter to move 
at liberty. 

54. Addiction. Inclination. 

55. Companies. For companions. 
57. And never [was there] noted, etc. 

59. Popularity. Association with the common people. 

Page 31. 63. Contemplation. Studious disposition. 

66. Yet crescive in his faculty. Yet showing its power of 
growth. His, the old form of the genitive case of it. Its does not 
occur in Spenser, or the Bible of 1611 (which has it where its is now 
used in Leviticus xxv, 5), and is found only thrice in Milton. Us 
first appeared in print in 1598. (Prof. Lounsbury.) 

68. Needs. A substantive adverb with the old inflection of 
the genitive singular -es. 

72. Indifferent. Impartial. 

74. Exhibiters. Those who presented the bill. 

76. Upon. Upon the authority of, in consequence of. — Our 
spiritual convocation. The Convocation of the church used to 
pass ecclesiastical laws and grant subsidies to the crown. It 
gradually fell into impotence, and was virtually suspended from 
1717 to 1840. 

86. The severals and unhidden passages. The details and clear 
documentary proofs. 

87. Some certain. A pleonasm. The dukedoms were Aqui- 
taine, Anjou, Maine, and Normandy. 

88. S3at. Throne. 

Page 32. 95. Embassy. Mission. 

Scene II 

4. Cousin in Shakespeare is used: (1) to denote, besides the son 
or daughter of an uncle or aunt, any kinsman or kinswoman; (2) 
as a titls given by princes to other princes and distinguished noble- 
men. This last is the meaning here. 

Page 33. 11. Law Salique. The Salic (from the Bavarian 
river Saale) law originated in the custom of the Salian Franks, who 
finally settled in France under their leader Pharamond, about 418, 
'when the kingdom of France was founded.' It was one of their 
laws that no woman could succeed to an inheritance, lest by marry- 
ing she should carry her property and power into another house. 
The law was first applied to French politics in the fourteenth cen- 
tury. When the English kings laid a claim to the French throne 
through the female line, it became an article of French patriotism 
to maintain the Salic law as a necessary safeguard of nation- 
ality. 



158 KING HENRY THE FIFTH 

14. Fashion . . . reading. Distort the knowledge gained by 
reading. 

16. Miscreate. Falsely invented. 

19. In approbation. In proving or making good our claim, 

20. Your reverence. Reverence /or you. 

21. Impawn. Pledge or engage in. 
28. Mortality. Human life. 

Page 34. 40. Gloze. To explain away, as by a gloss or 
comment. 

49. Dishonest. Unchaste. 

53. Meisen. Meissen, near Dresden, now famous for the 
manufacture of china. 

58. Defunction. Death. 

59. Idly. Unreasonably, carelessly. 

61, 71, 75. Charles the Great; Charlemain. The first is 
Charlemagne, the son of Pepin (690-741). Charlemain is Charles 
the Bald ile Chaiwe), born 822, died 877. 

Page 35. 65. King Pepin, 'the Short,' son of Charles Martel, 
and the first king of the Carlovingian dynasty. He deposed Chil- 
deric, the last of the Merovingians, in 751, and reigned till 768. 

67. Blithild, queen of France, daughter of Clothaire II, and 
wife of Childeric II. 

69. Hugh Capet, Duke of France, who, after the death of 
Louis V, seized the throne, was crowned in 987, and reigned till his 
death in 996. 

70. Charles the Duke of Lorraine received from the Emperor 
Otho II the dukedom of Lower Lorraine. He attempted, on tli>* 
death of Louis V, to seize the crown, but was worsted by Hugh 
Capet, and flung into prison, where he died in 993. 

72. Find. Provide. 

73. Naught. Worthless, good for nothing. Naughty occurs in 
The Merchant of Venice in the sense of had, wicked. 

74. Convey' d himself. Managed to pass himself off. 

88. King Lewis his satisfaction. His frequently occurs in early 
English by mistake for 's, the sign of the possessive case, especially 
after a proper name ending in s. The old inflection of the genitive, 
-es, seems to have been confounded with the pronoun his. 

93. To hide them in a net. To take refuge in subtle intricacies. 
Them for themselves was common in Elizabethan English. 

Page 36. 94. Imbar, ' Bar in, secure,' is Knight's interpreta- 
tion. Schmidt takes imbar as an intensive form of har, to exclude. 

95. The arguments of the archbishop may be thus summed: 

(1) The Salic law is not, and never was, apphcable to France. 

(2) Three sovereigns had already inherited the throne of France 
by right of female descent. 



NOTES: ACT I, SCENE II 159 

98. Numbers xxvii, 1-11. — Writ and wrote both occur as the 
past participle in Shakespeare. 

106. Play'd a tragedy. The battle of Crecy (1346). 

112. With half their forces. One of the three divisions of the 
army (not the half) was held in reserve under the king, and took 
no part in the action. 

113. Another. The other. 

114. Cold for action. Cool, ready for action. 

120. The very May-morn of his youth. Henry was born in 
1387, and was now in his twenty-seventh year. 

Page 37. 137. Proportions to defend. Number of troops 
necessary for our defense. 

138. Road. An incursion. 

139. Advantages. Opportunities. 

140. Marches. The border lands. 

143. Coursing snatchers. The border freebooters were notori- 
ous for cattle-lifting. 

144. Main intendment. Chief aim or purpose. 

145. Still. Always. — Giddy. Fickle, not to be trusted. 
Page 38. 151. The gleaned land. The land stripped of its 

defenders. — Assays. Attacks. 
155. Fear'd. Frightened. 

160. Inipounded as a stray. Confined like a stray animal. 
Pound, an inclosure where strayed animals are shut up, from A. S. 
pyndan, to shut in. 

161. The king of Scots. David II, who was captured at the 
battle of Neville's Cross (1346) by the English army. 

169. In prey. In search of prey. 

175. A crush'd necessity. A forced inference. (C. Ed.) 

176. Necessaries. Provisions. 

Page 39. 179. Advised. Wary, thoughtful. 

182. Congreeing. Agreeing. 

188. Teach the act of order. Show in a practical way what 
order is. 

190. Sorts. Various ranks. 

192. Venture. To risk or speculate in trade. A cargo was 
termed a venture. 

194. Boot. Plunder. It is a form of booty. 

196. Their emperor. Virgil in the Georgics also represents the 
queen-bee as a male. 

197. Busied in his majesty. Occupied with his kingly duties. 
203, Executors. Executioners. 

206. Contrariously. From opposite points, by different ways. 
Page 40. 220. The name of hardiness. Our reputation for 
bravery. 



160 KING HENRY THE FIFTH 

226. Empery. Empire. 

232. Like Turkish mute. To prevent the disclosure of secrets, 
it was a custom among the Turks to cut out the tongues of attend- 
ants at courts, of executioners, and otiiers. 

233. Wot . . . waxen epitaph. Not worshiped with an epi- 
taph so perishable as one on wax. 

Page 41. 245. In few. In short. 

252. GaUiard. A hvely dance. 

Page 42, 261-266. These lines are full of punning allusions to 
the game of tennis. — Play a set. Have a game of tennis. — Strike 
into. Ihat is, into the 'service' from the 'hazard' side. — Hazard 
denotes the hole into which the ball was struck. — Wrangler. An 
opponent. — Courts. Tennis was played in walled courts about 
ninety feet long by thirty feet wide. — Chaces. The ins and outs 
of tennis. 

263. Shall strike, etc. The omission of the relative as the sub- 
ject is common in Shakespeare. 

273. State. Chair of state. 

280. To look. In looking. 

282. Gun-stones. Cannon balls were at first made out of 
Btone. 

Page 43. 307. God before. Before God. 

ACT II 

Prologue 

Page 44. 2. Silken dalliance. The robes suited to dalliance. 

6. Mirror. Pattern. 

14. Pale policy. Pale-hearted policy, cowardly scheming. 

18. Would thee do. Would have thee do. 

19. Kind. True to the spirit of their race, not degenerate. 
(A. S. cynde, natural — cynn, a tribe.) Kindly originally meant 
natural. Cf. 'the kindly fruits of the earth.' 

Page 45. 23. Richard Earl of Cambridge. Cousin to Henry 
IV, and brother to the Duke of York in this play. 

24. Henry Lord Scroop. The eldest son of Sir Stephen Scroop, 
who is one of the characters in Richard II. He had married the 
step-mother of the Earl of Cambridge. 

25. Sir Thomas Grey of Heton, in Northumberland. 

26. Gilt. Gold bribes. Guilt originally meant a fine, or a pay- 
ment, by way of recompense for an offense. (/ S. gylt, a crime; 
connected with gijld, a recompense.) Wergild (A. S. iver, man, and 
gyldan, to pay), among the Saxons, was the fine paid as compensa- 
tion for murder. 



I 



NOTES: ACT II, SCENE I ' 161 

31. Linger. A transitive verb. — We'll digest. We will ar- 
range, dispose of. 

32. Abuse of distance. This refers to the deception by which 
the scene is, in so short a time, transferred from London to South- 
ampton. 

34. Set. Set out. 

Scene I 

3. Ancient. An ensign, standard-bearer, a corruption of O. Fr. 
enseigne. (Lat. insignis, noted.) 

Page 46. 10. There 's an end to what I have to sa5^ 

16. That is my rest. That is my resolve. 

30. Tike. Cur. A Scandinavian word. 

Page 47. 34. Well-a-day. Alas. It is another form of wella- 
way. (A. S. wd-ld-wd, woe, lo! woe.) 

37. Nothing. No violence. 

43. Shog off. Move off. Shog is perhaps smother iorm oi jog, 
from a Celtic root. 

47. Maw. Stomach. — Perdy. A corruption of Fr. par Dieu. 

50. Take. Take aim. — Cock. Flint guns in use when the 
play was written. (R. Ed.) 

52. Barbason. The name of a fiend, or demon; also of an able 
officer in the service of the Dauphin. (C. Ed.) 

60. Exhale. Draw. It is used of the sun drawing up vapors 
and thus producing meteors. 

Page 48. 64. Mickle. Great; an old form of much. 

66. Tall. Valiant. 

69. Couple a gorge ! Pistol's French for 'cut the throat!' 

71. Hound of Crete. The bloodhounds of Crete were much 
prized in antiquity. 

Page 49. 100. Sword is an oath. The hilt, being m the form 
of a cross, was used to swear by. 

102. An. If. 

104. Prithee. Pray thee. 

107. A noble. A gold coin worth six shilHngs and eight pence, 
or about $1.60. 

Page 50. 119. Quotidian. A fever whose paroxysms return 
every day. A quotidian tertian is of course an absurdity. 

123. That 's the even of it. That is the plain truth of the 
matter. 

127. Passes . . . careers. Indulges in jokes and tricks. 

128. Lambkins. A term of endearment, Lamb-k-in (with 
double diminutive suffix) from A. S. lamb. 



162 KING HENRY THE FIFTH 



Scene II 

2. By and by. Immediately. Cf. Luke xxi, 9. 

3. Even. Composedly. 

Page 51. 9. Whom he hath duU'd, etc. Whom he hath sur- 
feited with favors till he has lost all sense of gratitude. — Cloy'd. 
Glutted, satiated. 

18. Head. An armed force. 

Page 52. 33. The ofnce of our hand. The use of our hand. 

34. Quittance. Reward. 

40. Enlarge. Set at large, liberate. 

43. On his more advice. On more carefully considering his 
case. 

44. Security. The word has here the meaning of the Lat. 
securitas, the state of being without care. 

46. His sufferance. Suffering of him, allowing him to go un- 
punished. 

53. Orisons. Prayers. 

54. Proceeding on distemper. Arising in a distempered state of 
mind. 

Page 53. 61. Late. Lately appointed. 
63. It. The written commission. 

Page 54. 79. Quick. Alive, hving. Cf. the quick and the 
dead, cut to the quick. 

86. Apt. Ready. — Accord. Agree. 

87. Appertinents. Appurtenances. 

99. Use. Advantage, interest. 

100. May. Can. 
103. Gross. Distinct. 

Page 55. 107. In a natural cause. A cause to which they 
were both akin, so there was nothing unnatural in what they did. 
(CI. P. S.) 

111. Cimning. Originally the present participle of M. E. 
cunnen, to know. (A. S. cunnan, to know.) 

112. Preposterously. Contrary to the natural order of things. 
Lit. having that first which ought to be last. (Lat. proeposterus — 
proe, before, posterns, after.) 

119. Instance. Motive. 

126. Jealousy. Suspicion. 

127. Affiance. Confidence. 

133. Blood. Used figuratively for passion. 

134. Complement. Corresponding outward appearance; the 
external qualities that go to complete the character. 

135. Not working, etc. Not trusting to appearances without 
enlightened judgment. 



NOTES: ACT II, SCENE IV 163 

Page 56. 137. Bolted. Sifted, without mixture of vileness. 
159. In sufferance. In suffering the penalty. 
Page 57. 166. Quit. Acquit, pardon. 
169. Earnest. Money paid in token of a bargain made. 
175. Tender. Regard. 

181. Dear offences. Offenses for which you will suffer dearly. 
188. Rub. That which causes friction, a hindrance. It is a 
term of the game of bowls. 

190. Puissance. Forces, army. 

192. The signs of war advance. Bear forward the standards. 

Scene III 

Page 58. 2. Staines. A small towTi on the road from London 
to Southampton. 
3. Yearn. Grieve. 

9. In Arthur's bosom. The Hostess means Abraham's bosom. 

10. 'A made. He made. For he we sometimes find in early 
English ha, 'a (not confined always to one number or gender) =he, 
she, it, they. — A finer end. A final end. 

11. An . . . christom child. Like any newly baptized child. 
The chrisom was a white cloth put on a newly baptized child, and 
was worn by it for a time. During that time the infant was called 
a chrisom child. 

13. At the turning o' the tide. The behef is still common that 
a dying person will linger until the turn of the tide. 

Page 59. 27. Of. About, or perhaps against. — Sack. Wines. 

43. Chattels. Properly any kind of property but freehold. A 
doublet of cattle. 

44. Let senses rule. Johnson proposed to read the phrase: 
Met sense us rule.' — Pitch and pay. A proverbial expression for 
'Pay ready money.' 

47. Hold-fast is the only dog. The proverb is, 'Brag is a good 
dog, but hold-fast is a better.' 

49. Clear thy crystals. Rub your glasses (of the hostel). 

Scene IV 

Page 60. 1. Comes. The verb is singular because by 'the 
English' is to be understood the English king. 

2. More than carefully. With more care than usual. 

10. Gulf. Whirlpool. 

Page 61. 25. Morris-dance. A Moorish dance said to have 
been introduced into England from Spain about the time of 
Edward IV. 

26. Idly king'd. Having a fool for a king; carelessly governed. 



164 KING HENRY THE FIFTH 

34. In exception. In taking exception, in offering objections. 

37. ^ The Roman Brutus. Lucius Junius Brutus, to escape the 
suspicion of his uncle, Tarquinius Superbus, feigned to be an idiot. 

Page 62. 46. Which . . . projection. Which being planned 
on a weak and niggardly scale. 

47. Scanting. Giving hardly enough, limiting. 

50. Flesh'd upon us. Trained or practiced on us. 

51. Strain. Race, breed; now used only of dogs. 

57. His mountain sire. It has been proposed to read 'his 
mighty sire,' as in I, ii, 108. Theobald substituted mounting in the 
sense of aspiring. (CI. P. S.) 

64. The native ... of him. The greatness he has inherited, 
and the destiny that awaits him. 

Page 63. 85. Sinister. Literally means the left hand. — No 
. . . claim. No wrongful or perverse claim. 

88. Line. Pedigree, register of his descent. 

90. Willing you overlook. Desiring you to look or read over. 

91. Evenly. Directly, in a straight hne. 
Page 64. 94. Indirectly. Wrongfully. 
95. Challenger. Claimant. 

121. In grant of. By granting. 

Page 65. 124. Womby vaultages. Womb-Uke vaults. 

125. Chide. Resound. 

129. Odds. Variance, quarrel. 

133. The mistress court. The best tennis court. 

145. Breath. Breathing-space, a very short time. 



ACT III 

Prologue 

Page 66. 1. With imagin'd wing. With the wing of imagina- 
tion. 

4. Appointed. Equipped. — Hampton. That is, Southampton. 

5. Brave. Gay, splendid. 
12. Bottoms. Vessels. 
14. Rivage. Shore. 

18. Grapple . . . navy. Follow with your minds astern of this 
navy. 

Page 67. 30. To dowry. For a dowry. 

31. Some petty . . . dukedoms. Tulle, Limoges, and Aqui- 
taine. 

33. Linstock. A stick to hold the gunner's match. — Chambers. 
Small pieces of ordnance. 



NOTES: ACT III, SCENE III 165 

Scene I 

Page 68. 10. Portage. Porthole; used for the socket of the eye. 

11. O'erwhelm. Lower over. 

12. A galled rock. A rock worn away by the action of the water. 

13. Jutty. Jut over. — Confounded. Wasted. 

21. For lack of argument. Because they had no longer any 
foes to fight. 

22. Attest. Testify, prove. 

31. Slips. A noose or leash in which greyhounds are held be- 
fore they are allowed to start after the game. 

Scene II 

Page 69. 4. A case of lives. A set of lives, as we say 'a case 
of pistols.' 

20. Avaunt. Begone. (Fr. avant, forward; Lat. ab, from, ante, 
before.) — You cullions. You cowardly fellows. 

22. Duke. Leader, general. (Fr. due; Lat. dux, duels, a leader.) 
— Men of mould. Mortal men. 

Page 70. 25. Bawcock. A term of endearment. (Fr. beau 
coq, fine fellow.) 

29. Swashers. Swaggerers. 

31. Antics. Oddities, buffoons. 

32. For. As for. 

33. White-livered. Cowardly. 

43. Purchase. Booty; originally anything acquired honestly or 
dishonestly, proceeds of begging or stealing. 

48. Carry coals. A proverbial expression for 'do the dirtiest 
work.' 

52. Pocketing up of wrongs. Cf. our phrase, 'pocket an 
affront.' 

Page 71. 63. Discuss. Explain. 

Page 72. 86. God-den. Good evening. 

Page 73. 118. Lig. Lie. (A. 8. liegan.) — Giund. Ground. 

120. Marry. By the Virgin Mary. 

Scene III 

Page 74. 2. Parle. Parley, conference. 
8. Half-achieved. Half-won. 
11. Flesh'd. Experienced in bloodshed. 

Page 75. 26. Precepts. Summons. The word has this mean- 
ing in Shakespeare only when the acpent is on the last syllable. 
28. Of. On. 
32. Heady. Headstrong. 



166 KING HENRY THE FIFTH 

Scene V 

Page 79. 10. But bastard Normans. An allusion to the base 
birth of William I, the Conqueror. (C. Ed.) 

13. Slobbery. Sloppy, wet, marshy. 

14. Nook-shotten. This contemptuous term may refer to the 
irregular outline of Britain, projecting into capes, shooting into 
nooks or angles. Knight interprets it as 'the isle thrust into a 
corner, apart from the rest of the world.' 

15. Mettle. This is the same word as metal, but used in a 
figurative sense. 

18. Sodden. Boiled. 

19. Drench. A drink, or draught of physic. — Sur-rein'd. 
Overridden. 

23. Roping. Hanging like ropes. 

Page 80. 36. More sharper. Shakespeare uses double com- 
paratives and superlatives for the sake of greater emphasis. 

Page 81. 57. For achievement. In order to bring matters to 
a head or end, to end the war. (Fr. achever; chef, the head.) 

Scene VI 

Page 82. 26. Buxom. Lively, sprightly. It literally means 
yielding, from A. S. hiigan, to bow. 

Page 83. 41. He hath stolen a pax. The pax or pix was a 
small plate containing a picture of the crucifixion or of the Saviour, 
on which the kiss of peace (hence its name) was bestowed in the 
Roman Catholic Church at the time of mass. 

59. Figo. The use of this contemptuous word was accom- 
panied by an insulting gesture, in which the thumb was thrust 
between the first and second fingers and the hand closed. 

62. The fig of Spain. Poisoned figs are said to have been used 
in Spain for purposes of revenge. 

Page 84. 74. They will learn you. They ^^^ll learn, look you. 
You is redundant. 

76. Sconce. An earthwork or fortification. Used also for the head. 

78. Con. Learn by heart. 

94. From the bridge. Concerning the bridge. 

Page 85. 120. Habit. The uniform of a herald. 

Page 86. 130. Upon our cue. For our turn to act has come. 
Cue is a term of the stage, denoting 'the last words of an actor's 
speech serving as a hint to the next speaker.' (O. Fr. coe, queue 
[Fr. queue]. Lat. cauda, a tail.) 

146. Quality. Profession, rank; in Shakespeare's time the 
technical term for the profession of an actor. 

151. Impeachment. In its literal sense of hindrance. (O. Fr. 



NOTES: ACT IV, PROLOGUE 167 

empescher [Ft. empecher], to hinder — Low Lat. impedicare, to 
fetter.) — To say the sooth. To speak the truth. Sooth from 
A. S. soodh, truth. 

Scene VII 

Page 88. 9. Provided of. Where we would say 'provided with.' 

12. Pasterns. The part of a horse's foot from the fetlock to 
the hoof. 

13. As if his entrails were hairs. The reference is to tennis- 
balls, which were stuffed with hair. 

14. Pegasus. The winged horse of the Muses. 

18. The pipe of Hermes. The shepherd's pipe invented by 
the god Mercury, the Hermes of the Greeks. 

21. Perseus, who slew Medusa, from whose blood Pegasus 
sprung. — The dull elements, etc. An allusion to the old theory 
that there were only four elementary substances, air, fire, earth, 
and water. 

Page 89. 33. The lodging. The lying down. 

41. Writ, as well as wrote, is thus used by Shakespeare. He 
also has wrote for written. 

Page 90. 54. Belike. Likely, perhaps. 

55. A kern. A light-armed soldier. 

56. Strait strossers. Tight trousers. 

76. A many. This use of a some explain by a reference to the 
old noun many, as it occurs in IV, iii, 95: A many of our bodies; and 
in Sonnet 93: In many's looks. It may also be explained by re- 
garding the many collectively as one mass. Thus we say, a fev/, a 
score, etc. 

Page 91. 88. Go to hazard. Play at dice. 

102. Still. Always. 

Page 92. 115. Hooded . . . bate. The reference is to hawk- 
ing. The falcon, v/hich was kept 'hooded' till the game appeared, 
would sometimes hesitate in its flight, and 'bate' or flap its wings. 

Page 93. 151. Just. Just so. — Sympathise. Are in har- 
mony with, resemble. 

152. Robustious. Boisterous and violent. 

156. Shrewdly out of beef. Sorely in want of beef. 

ACT IV 

Prologue 

Page 94. 1. Entertain conjecture of. Imagine. 
2. The poring dark. The darkness through which it is neces- 
sary to look intently or closely. 



168 KING HENRY THE FIFTH 

8. Paly. Pale. 

9. Battle. Army in battle array. — Umber'd. Darkened with 
the shadows cast by the flames. Umber is a brown pigment, so 
called because originally obtained from Umbria in Italy. 

12. Accomplisiiing. i\rmmg completely. 

20. Tardy-gaited. Slow-pacmg. 

Page 96. 26. Watchful fires. The fires by which they watch. 

39. Attaint. The force of weariness. 

45. Mean and gentle. High and low. ikfean, properly of middle 

rank. Gentle, of good birth. 

47. Little toucn. Brief sketch. 

50. Foils. Swordsmen. 

Scene I 

Page 96. 7. Husbandry. Thrifty management. 

10. Dress us fairly. Prepare ourselves ai'ight. 

15. Churlish. Rude. Churl, an ill-bred fellow, from A. S. 
ceorl, a countryman. Cf. Scotch carl; Ger. Kerl. 

16. Likes me. Pleases me. 

Page 97. 23. Casted slough. Refers to the cast-off skin of a 
snake. — Legerity. Nimbleness, activity. (Fr. legerete, leger, 
hght.) 

26. Anon. Immediately. 

27. Desire them all (to come) to, etc. 
32. I would. I wish, I would have. 

37. Discuss. Explain. 

38. Popular. Vulgar. This was the meaning of the word in 
the time of Shakespeare. 

Page 98. 45. Imp. Lit. a graft or shoot; then a child. The 
word has now become degraded in meaning. 

56. Saint Davy's day. March 1, the festival of St. David, 
the titular saint of Wales. 

62. God be with you. This contraction becomes God he wi' 
ye, then good-by. 

64. Sorts. Agrees. 

67. Admiration. Wonder. 

Page 100. 99. Sand. Sandbank. 

105. The element. The sky. 

112. Possess him with. Impart to him. 

120. By my troth. Cf. the modern expression, 'Upon my 
word.' Troth, merely another form of truth. — I will speak my 
conscience. I will speak what I know within my own mind. 

Page 101. 143. Rawly. Without due provision being made 
for them. 

151. Sinfully miscarry. Perish in their sins. 



I 



NOTES: ACT IV, SCENE II 169 

156. Irreconciled. Not atoned for, unforgiven. 

Page 102. 164. Arbitrement. Decision. 

171. Native punishment. The law of the land. 

173. Beadle. Messenger to bring them to justice, court- 
officer. 

178. Unprovided. Unprepared for death. 

Page 103. 193. Answer it. Answer for it. 

204. An elder-gim. A toy gun, the barrel of which is made 
from a piece of an elder-tree branch, by pushing the pith out of it. 

209. Something too round. Somewhat too plain spoken. 

218. Here 's my glove, etc. The introduction of the incident 
of the glove into this scene is on a parallel with the affair of Portia's 
ring in The Merchant of Venice. 

Page 104. 230. Enow. The same word as enough. 

246. General. Public. 

Page 105. 252. Thy soul of adoration. The thing in thee for 
which thou art adored. 

261. Blown. The past participle of the verb blow, to bloom or 
blossom. 

269. Inter-tissued. Inwoven with gold thread or pearls. (CI. 
P. S.) 

270. The farced title. The title stuffed or crammed with 
showy terms, as 'His Most Gracious Majesty.' 

277. Distressful. Earned by stress or dint of hard toil; or it 
may describe the coarse bread eaten by the peasant. 

Page 106. 282. Hyperion. Phoebus, or Apollo, who drives 
the chariot of the sun. 

289. Wots. Knows. The past is wist. 

291. Advantages. Benefits. The verb is singular through the 
attraction of the singular noun peasant, which is nearer to it than 
its own subject. Some instances where the verb in -s agrees with a 
subject in the plural, are explained by the northern English in- 
flection -s of the third person plural. Cf. 'My old bones aches,' 
'the imperious seas breeds monsters,' and 'his tears runs down.' 

301. Compassing. Obtaining. 

Page 107. 311. Since . . . pardon. Since my own repent- 
ance is necessary for forgiveness. 

Scene II 

2. Varlet. Another form of valet, also vaslet, a diminutive 
of O. Fr. vassal, an attendant on a lord, a footman. It is now 
generally applied to a low fellow. 

Page 108. 11. Dout. Do out, put out, extinguish. Cf. don, 
doff, dup. 



170 KING HENRY THE FIFTH 

18. Shales. A doublet of shells, and allied to scale, skull, 
scalp, scallop. 

21. Curtle-axe. A short sword. 

Page 109. 29. Hilding. Skeat derives this word from the 
older English hilderling, or hinderUng, as if from hinder, the com- 
parative of the adjective hind, with the meaning of base, degen- 
erate. 

31. Speculation has here its Uteral meaning of looking on from 
Lat. specio, 1 look. 

35. The tucket sonance. The sounding of the tucket, the in- 
troductory flourish of the trumpet. 

41. Curtains. Banners. 

44. Beaver. The front part of a helmet. 

48. Dov/n-roping. Dripping. 

49. The gimmal-bit. The double or chain bit. 
Page 110. 54. Battle. Army 

61. Trumpet. Trumpeter. 

Scene III 
2. Rode. For ridden. 
Page 111. 26. Yearns. Grieves. 

Page 112. 41. This day, etc. The battle of Agincourt was 
fought on October 25, 1415, the festival of St. Crispin. 

50. With advantages. With exaggeration. 'The storj^ will 
lose nothing in the telling.' (Wright.) 

57. Crispin Crispian. Crispinus and Crispianus were two 
Christians who suffered martyrdom under Diocletian, at Soissons, 
in France, either in 287 or in 303. As during their missionary 
labors they had exercised their trade of shoemaking, they ever 
afterwards were regarded as the patron saints of this handicraft. 

Page 113. 63. Gentle his condition. Make a gentleman of 
him. 

69. Bravely. Finely, splendidly. 

70. Expedience. Expedition, haste. 

Page 114. 91. Achieve me. Put an end to my life, kill me. 

107. In relapse of mortality. 'By a rebound of deadliness' 
(Schmidt), or perhaps it means 'In thy process of falling again into 
death.' 

Page 115. 130. Vaward. Vanguard. 

SCEXE IV 

Page 116. 4. Custure me ! This scrap of Pistol's may be the 
name of an old Irish song. The English of it is, probably, 'young 
girl, my treasure!' 



NOTES: ACT IV, SCENE VIII 171 

8. Perpend. Consider. 

9. Fox. A slang term for a sword, from the figure of a fox which 
was stamped on the blade as the cutler's mark. 

14. Moy. Pistol imagines the Frenchman is speaking of 
moidores, which were gold coins. 

15. Rim. The diaphragm. 

Page 117. 29. Firk him, and ferret him. Firk, to give a 
drubbmg, to beat. Ferret, to throttle or worry as a ferret would 
a rabbit. 

Page 118. 73. This roaring devil i' the old play. The devil 
frequently figured as one of the characters in the old moralities and 
mystery plays, and with the 'Vice' created amusement for the 
spectators. The 'Vice' (the original of the clown) would often 
belabor the devil soundly with a lath and send him roaring off the 
stage. 

74. A wooden dagger, with which the 'Vice' would attempt to 
pare the devil's nails. 

Scene VI 

Page 120. 8. Larding. Garnishing, fattening. The Dulve of 
York was very corpulent. 

Page 121. 34. Issue. Water, shed tears. 

Scene VII 

Page 123. 55. I was not angry. I have not been angry. 

61. Skirr away. Scour or scud away. 

Page 124. 69. Fin'd. Pledged to pay as a fine. 

73. Book. Register in a book. 

75. Woe the while! Woe to the time! While is here in the 
dative case. 

Page 125. 104. Wear the leek upon Saint Tavy's Day. In 
honor of a victory won by Prince Arthur over the Saxons, the Welsh 
soldiers were enjoined by St. David, their patron saint, to wear a 
leek in their caps, as the skirmish had been fought 'in a garden 
where leeks did grow.' St. David's Day is the first of March. 

Page 127. 143. A Jack-sauce. A saucy jack, an impudent fellow. 

156. When Alen?on and myself, etc. 'The king that dale 
shewed himselfe a valiant knight, albeit almost felled by the duke 
of Alanson; yet with plaine strength he slue two of the dukes 
companie, and felled the duke himselfe.' (Holinshed.) 

Scene VIII 

Page 129. 10. 'Splood. God's blood; it was used as an oath. 
Cf. zounds or 'swounds, God's wounds. 



172 KING HENRY THE FIFTH 



ACT. V 

Prologue 

Page 134. 10. Pales in. Hems in. 

12. Whiflaier 'fore the king. A whiffler was originally a fifer 
or lute-player, then a person who preceded a procession to clear 
the way. 

17. To have borne, etc. To have his bruised helmet, etc., borne 
before him. 

Page 135. 21. Signal, and ostent. External signs of honor. 

30. The general of our gracious empress. Robert Devereux, 
Earl of Essex, the favorite of Queen Elizabeth. In the spring of 
1599, he was sent to Ireland with a large force to suppress Tyrone's 
rebellion. But in this he failed, and returned to London in the 
following September. 

32. Broached. Spitted, pierced through; from Fr. broche, an 
iron pin. 

38. The emperor 's coming. The emperor is coming. This was 
Sigismund, elected emperor of Germany in 1410. 

43. Remembering. Reminding. 

Scene I 

Page 136. 5. Scald. Scurvy. 

20. Bedlam. Mad; a common name for a lunatic asylum, taken 
from Bethlem Hospital, London, which has existed for centuries. 

21. Parca's fatal web. Parcce was the name given in ancient 
mythology to the three weird sisters, the Fates. 

Page 137. 29. CadwaUader. The last king of the Welsh. He 
lived about the year 660. 

Page 138. 77. Gleeking and galling. Jeering and scoffing. 

82. Condition. Temper, disposition. 

Page 139. 83. The huswife. The jilt. 

84. Spital is a contraction of hospital, and in this form is com- 
mon as a local name. 

Scene II 

The conference at Troyes was held in 1420, five years after 
Henry landed at Dover in triumph from France; so Shakespeare 
has omitted the campaign of 1417-18, in which Rouen suffered a 
terrible siege and Normandy was reduced. 

1. Wherefore. For which. 

Page 140. 17. Basilisks. A basilisk was a fabulous serpent, 



NOTES: ACT V, SCENE II 173 

called also cockatrice, which was supposed to kill by its look. It 
was also a kind of ordnance, 

31. Congreeted. Greeted each other. 

33. Rub. Hindrance. 

Page 141. 42. Even-pleach' d. Intertwined so as to have a 
smooth or even appearance. 

47. Deracinate such savagery. Root up such wild growth. 

48. Erst. Formerly, 

52. Kecksies. A kind of hemlock. 

63. Reduce. In its literal sense, to bring back. 

65. Let. Hindrance, obstacle. To let, to liinder, occurs in the 
Bible. 

Page 142. 68. Would. Wish, desire. 

73. Enschedul'd. Written down in a schedule, in writing. 

77. Cursorary. Cursory, hasty, 

90. Consign. With its literal meaning, sign together. 

Page 143. 96. Capital, Chief. 

Page 144. 134. Undid, Would undo. 

135. Measure. Meter. 

141. Buffet, Box, 

Page 145. 156. Uncoined constancy. Constancy that has not 
been tampered with. 

Page 146. 187. Saint Denis. Dionysius, the patron saint of 
France, 

Page 147. 235, Broken music. Music from different instru- 
ments not in harmony. 

Page 148. 262. Nice customs curtsy. Prudish customs bow 
or give way, 

264, List. Barrier, 

Page 149. 280, Condition, Disposition. 

Page 152, 358. Paction. Compact. 



QUESTIONS AND TOPICS FOR STUDY 

By Emma F. Lowd, M. A. 

First Assistant in English, Washington Irving High School, 
New York City 

READING REFERENCES 

Brown. Shakespeare's Versification. 

Clarke, Concordance to Shakespeare. 

Fleay. Chronicle History of the London Stage. 

Gardiner. A Students' History of England. 

Green. A Short History of the English People. 

Hazlitt. Characters of Shakespeare's Plays. 

Mabie, William Shakespeare: Poet, Dramatist, and Man. 

Pater. Appreciations: 'Shakespeare's English Kings.' 

Shakespeare. Henry IV. 

Smith. Shakespeare the Man. 

Stone. Shakespeare's Holinshed. 

Whipple. Literature of the Age of Elizabeth. 

STUDY OF KING HENRY THE FIFTH 

PROLOGUE 

1. Explain the origin of the chorus. 

2. What was the purpose of it? 

3. What are the specific purposes of the prologues in Henry Vf 

4. Describe the stage equipment of Shakespeare's time. 

5. Why should the king be called 'Harry' (1. 5)? 

6. What is foreshadowed as to the action of the play (11. 12-14)? 



ACT I 

Scene I 

1. WTiat is the situation at the opening of this scene? 

2. How has Henry himself prepared us for the change in his 
character described by Canterbury in 11. 24-37? (See Henry IV, 
Part I, I, ii.) 

3. Why is Henry's youthful wildness compared to a veil (1. 64)? 

174 



TOPICS FOR STUDY: ACT II, PROLOGUE 175 

4. Wliat does this scene reveal of the condition of the church in 
the early part of the fifteenth century? 

5. Explain the dramatic purpose of the scene. 

6. What insight is given into the character of Henry? 

Scene II 

1. What is the basis of Henry's claim to the French throne? 

2. What traits of Henry's character are revealed in 11. 13-23? 

3. To what does he appeal in the Archbishop's nature? 

4. What evidence is there of the honesty of Henry's own motives? 

5. Discuss the truth of Canterbury's statements in 11. 35-45. 

6. Why does the king ask the question in 1. 96? 

7. What is Canterbury's real motive in advising Henry to make 
war on France? 

8. Who was Edward the Black Prince? 

9. How does Canterbury try to influence Henry? 

10. What part does Ely play in this interview? 

11. Explain the distinction made in 11. 125, 126, between grace 
and highness. 

12. Wliy does Canterbury make the promise in 11. 132-135? 

13. What interest does Henry show in the welfare of his country? 

14. Why was it necessarv to take such precautions as Henry 
describes in 11. 136-139? 

15. Discuss the truth of the statement in 11. 146-149. 

16. Explain the meaning of 1. 155. 

17. What is the origin of the sajdng quoted in 11. 167, 168? 

18. Explain the figure in 11. 169-173. 

19. How would Exeter bring about the harmony of the state? 

20. Wliy do the ambassadors come from the Dauphin instead of 
from the French king? 

21. Explain the meaning of 11. 250 and 253. 

22. What do the tennis-balls symbolize? 

23. Describe Henry's manner when he repHes to the Dauphin's 
challenge. 

24. Explain the meaning of 11. 266-272. 

25. In what way does Henry show his religious feeling? 

26. What feeling is expressed in the rhymed lines at the close of 
the scene? 

ACT II 

Prologue 

1. What progress in the action of the play is indicated by the 
opening lines? 

2. Discuss the preparations for war. 



176 KING HENRY THE FIFTH 

3. Explain the figurative language in 11. 8-11. 

4. What is the object of the conspiracy against Henry? 

5. Why could not the change of scene from London to South- 
ampton be shown on the stage? 

Scene I 

1. What is the object of the change of characters? 

2. Why does Pistol generally speak in blank verse? 

3. Who is the Boy's 'master' (1. 80)? 

4. Why does the Hostess say 'The king has killed his heart' 
(1. 86)? 

5. Mention a conspicuous trait in each of the characters in this 
scene. 

Scene II 

1. How does Henry's fearlessness protect him? 

2. Why does Henry profess such confidence in all his subjects 
(11. 20-24)? 

3. What motives prompt the conspirators to flatter Henry? 

4. Why does Henry pardon the man who had 'railed' at him 
(1. 41)? 

5. Explain the meaning of dear care in 1. 58. How is the expres- 
sion used? 

6. What dramatic purpose is there in Henry's manner of re- 
vealing to the conspirators his knowledge of their treachery? 

7. Show how he leads them on to confess their guilt. 

8. Why is Henry's denunciation of Scroop more severe than 
that of the other traitors? 

9. What power does Henry display in this speech? 

10. How are the conspirators affected by the discovery of their 
crime? 

11. Discuss Henry's method of dealing wath the conspiracy. 

12. What does it indicate as to his ability to cope with an enemy 
in war? 

13. How does Henry show his magnanimity? 

Scene III 

1. Why is the reappearance of the minor characters a relief? 

2. How does it happen that these people are still in London? 

3. Why is the death of Falstaff announced in this way? 

4. Mention the evidences of illiteracy in the Hostess's language. 

5. What touches of pathos are found in this scene? 

6. What are the chief motives that lead the three adventurers to 
follow Henry to the war? Why does the Boy go? 



TOPICS FOR STUDY: ACT III, SCENE IV 177 

Scene IV 

1. What is the situation in France? 

2. Explain, in 11. 12 and 13, the expressions late examples and 
fatal and neglected English. 

3. Discuss the Dauphin's views of the preparation for war. 

4. Why does the Dauphin underestimate Henry's power? 

5. Of what value is the king's advice (11. 48-64)? 

6. How does his view seem prophetic? 

7. Why is his attitude the natural result of experience? 

8. Explain the thought m 11. 69-71. 

9. In what respect is the message delivered by Exeter character- 
istic of Henry? 

10. Contrast the French king's dignity with the Dauphin's 
angry defiance (11. 113-116). 

11. How has Henry shown his impetuosity? 



ACT III 

Prologue 
1. Discuss the progress of events as narrated by the Chorus. 

Scene I 

1. What is the situation at the opening of this scene? 

2. To what motives does Henry appeal in his address to his 
men? 

Scene II 

1. How does real war affect these camp-followers? 

2. Who is Fluellen? What is his position? 

3. What is the Boy's estimate of the characters of his com- 
panions? 

4. What does he reveal of his own character? 

5. Show the purpose of introducing men of so many nationalities. 

6. What trait of the Welsh character is shown in Fluellen 
(11. 128-134)? 

Scenes III and IV 

1. How may the cruelty of Henry's threats to the French before 
their surrender be reconciled with his treatment of them after the 
fall of Harfleur? 

2. Wliy is Scene iv introduced in this part of the play? 

3. What insight does it give into Katharine's character? 



178 KING HENRY THE FIFTH 



Scene V 

1. What evidence is there of delay and lack of preparation on 
the part of the French? 

2. Why does the French king seem to depend so much more on 
his nobles than on his soldiers? 

3. Compare this situation with Henry's confidence in his men. 

4. How is the Constable's speech typical of the confidence of the 
French in their success? 

Scene VI 

1. What is the attitude of the soldiers of the English army 
toward their superiors? 

2. How does the treatment of Bardolph illustrate the discipline 
in the English army? 

3. Discuss the purpose of the message delivered by Montjoy. 

4. What is the condition of the English army? 

5. What traits of Henry's character are shown in his reply to 
Montjoy? 

Scene VII 

1. Account for the lack of serious consideration of the approach- 
ing battle among the French. 

2. What is the attitude of the French officers and nobles toward 
the Dauphin? 

3. How do the French receive the news of the position of the 
English army? 

ACT IV 

Prologue 

1. Picture the two camps on the eve of battle. 

2. What is the condition of the Enghsh soldiers? 

Scene I 

1. What is Henry's state of mind? 

2. How does he show his kindness of heart? 

3. Why does he want to be alone? 

4. What evidences of loyalty or discontent does Henry discover 
among his men? 

5. Explain how his soliloquy reveals his sense of the responsi- 
bility resting upon him. 

6. What kingly qualities are shown in Henry's prayer? 



TOPICS FOR STUDY: ACT IV, SCENE VIII 179 

Scene II 

1. How have the English obtained an advantage by being first 
'embattled'? 

2. Describe the appearance of the English array. (Grandpre's 
speech.) 

3. Explain how this report increases the self-confidence of the 
French and at the same time weakens their cause. 

Scene III 

1. With what feelings do the English lords prepare for battle? 

2. How does Henry's rebuke to Westmoreland serve to put 
courage into the hearts of his generals? 

3. What historical authority is there for this scene? 

4. Why is this second offer of ransom made by the French? 

5. What is the nature of Henrj^'s reply? 

6. Why is it more decided than his previous answer? 

Scenes IV, V, and VI 

1. Discuss the development of the Boy's character. 

2. How has Pistol escaped the fate of his comrades? 

3. What is the purpose of this scene? 

4. What characters state the cause of the confusion of the 
French army? 

5. How does it affect the leaders? 

6. Compare the soldierly qualities of the French leaders and the 
English leaders. 

7. Of what importance are the English losses? 

8. How is the king affected by them? 

Scene VII 

1. What evidences of loyalty to Henry are shown among the 
common soldiers? 

2. How does Henry receive the news of his victory? 

3. Why does he give Wilhams's glove to Fluellen? 

Scene VIII 

1. In what way does Fluellen further prove his loyalty to Henry? 

2. What is the value of such a scene immediately after the 
battle? 

3. How does Henry show his humility in ascribing the victory 
to God? 

4. What other traits of character are conspicuous? 



180 KING HENRY THE FIFTH 

ACT V 

Prologue 
Make a brief abstract of this prologue. 

Scenes I and II 

1. Give a final estimate of the character of Pistol. Account for 
the apparent contradictions. 

2. Compare Fluellen and Gower, 

3. What time has elapsed since the battle of Agincourt? 

4. Explain in detail the terms of the treaty between France and 
England. 

5. Why is the scene between Henry and Katharine so attractive, 
and how do they understand each other so well? 

6. Are there any historical discrepancies in Scene II? 

EPILOGUE 

1. What is the purpose of the epilogue? 

2. In what respect does this epilogue enlarge the original scope 
of such a passage? 

GENERAL TOPICS FOR THEMES OR EXAMINATIONS 

1. Discuss the various methods of judging character. By direct 
references to Henry V, show how these methods aid in forming an 
estimate of Henry's character. 

2. The historical accuracy of Henry V. 

3. Compare the Henry of history with the Henry of the play. 

4. Picture the scene at the time of the denunciation of Scroop, 
Grey, and Cambridge. 

5. Give your estimate of Henry V as an acting play. 

6. Write a brief paragraph on the purposes served by the minor 
characters. 

7. Was Henry V's cause just, and his quarrel (with France) 
honorable, as he says in the play? Answer with reference to the 
arguments in Henry V. 

8. Relate an incident from the play that illustrates the king's 
reUsh of a practical joke. 

9. Relate an incident that illustrates Henry V's strictness in 
enforcing discipline. 

10. How is the king's piety shown? 



GENERAL TOPICS FOR THEMES 181 

11. By direct references to the play of Henry V show the truth 
of the following statement : 

'Henry V is at once the monarch who never forgets his pride 
as the representative of the English people, and the soldier who 
endures privation like the meanest of his followers.' 

12. Give the substance of what the Archbishop of Canterbury 
says in the first Act concerning the contrast between Henry's 
character as prince and his character as king. 

13. Give two instances from later parts of the play to show that 
Henry V possessed kingly qualities. 

14. Write a brief statement of how Shakespeare's Henry V ap- 
peals to the patriotism of EngUshmen. 



Merrill's English Texts 

COMPLETE EDITIONS 
For Uniform College Entrance Examinations 



Addison, Steele, and Budgell — The Sir 
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Spectator' ' 30 cents 

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